Background

Elytis was born Odysseus Alepoudhelis, November 2, 1911, in Iraklion, Crete (now Heraklion, Greece). The son of a soap manufacturer, he changed his name to a composite of the Greek words that mean Greece, hope, freedom, and beauty.

Education

He studied law at the University of Athens but began writing poetry in his early 20's. In 1975 he was awarded the Doctor Honoris Causa in the Faculty of Philosophy at Thessaloniki University.

Career

Elytis began his literary career as a celebrator of nature, but the experience of World War II complicated his vision. In 1937 he served his military requirements. As an army cadet, he joined the National Military School in Corfu. He assisted Queen Frederika off the train and on to Greek soil personally when she arrived from Germany to marry hereditary Prince Paul. During the war he was Second Lieutenant at the 1st Army Corps Headquarters, then transferred to the 24th Regiment, on the first-line of the battlefields. He served as Programme Director of the Greek National Radio Foundation twice, 1945–46 and 1953–54, was Member of the Consultative Committee of the Greek National Tourists' Organisation on the Athens Festival. In 1948–1952 he lived in Paris. From 1969 to 1972 Elytis exiled himself to Paris again due to the Greek military junta of 1967–1974. There audited philology and literature seminars at the Sorbonne. He developed a strong friendship with Teriade (Stratis (or Efstratios) Eleftheriades). From Paris he travelled Switzerland, England, Italy and Spain. In 1948 he was the representative of Greece at the International Meetings of Geneva, in 1949 at the Founding Congress of the International Art Critics Union in Paris and in 1962 at the Incontro Romano della Cultura in Rome. Upon similar invitations in 1961 he traveled through the U. S. A. , the Soviet Union in 1963 and Bulgaria in 1965. He planned to travel overseas, but died in Athens on 18 March 1996, at the age of 84.

Achievements

• He was a vital figure in the artistic and intellectual life of Athens, both as a literary and art critic and as director of programming for the National Broadcasting Institute.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Open Papers - Selected Essays

    ( Open Papers is the primary statement on his art by Odys...)

  • Odysseus Elytis : selected poems

    (A selection of the poetry of this winner of the Nobel Pri...)

  • Eros, Eros, Eros: Selected & Last Poems

    ( A comprehensive collection of poetry by the Greek Nobel...)

  • Asma Heroic (Greek Edition)

    (Epic poem on the the struggle in the Albanian front.)

  • Prosanatolismoi 1941 (Greek Edition)

    (Prosanatolismoi 1941 by Odysseas Elytis. Poetry)

  • The Little Mariner

    (Book by Elytis, Odysseas)

Membership

Association of Greek Art Critics, AICA-Hellas, International Association of Art Critics, Greek National Theatre's Administrative Council, Administrative Council of the Greek Radio and Television, Consultative Committee of the Greek National Tourists' Organisation.

Connections

friend::

Efstratios Eleftheriades (Tériade)

References

• odysseas elytis, mia antistrofi poreia