Níkos Kazantzákis

Níkos Kazantzákis (in Greek Νίκος Καζαντζάκης) or improperly, Kazantzaki , is a Greek writer born with Héraklion, (Crete) the February 18th 1883 and deceased the October 26th 1957 with Freiburg-in-Brisgau (Germany). Thinker influenced by Nietzsche and Bergson, it also adhered to the Marxism and Buddhism, while being deeply Christian. Journalist sent as correspondent in various areas of the world, in particular during the War of Spain for the daily newspaper Kathimeriní , it in addition exerted with various resumptions of the official functions in Greece, in particular by organizing the repatriation of the hundreds of thousands of refugees Micrasiates following the Russian revolution of 1917 and with the dismantling of the Ottoman Empire in 1922 and one short passage to the government after the Second world war. He was prize winner of the International prize of peace in 1950. He is as one of the instigators of the revival of the modern Greek language, the Dhimotikí, inspired by the oral traditions (rather as of the old Greek) in which he translated many reference books.

Biography

Níkos Kazantzákis was born in Megalokastro (Crystallized, current Héraklion, in Othoman Crete then) on February 18th, 1883. It is the elder one of the four children of Mikhalis Kazantzakis (1856-1932), trading and landowner, and of Maria Christodoulaki (1862-1932).

From 1897 to 1899, it takes refuge with Naxos with its family during the insurrection crétoise. He studies French and Italian at the French commercial School of the Holy-Cross

From 1902 to 1906, he studies at the university of Athens and becomes Doctor in Right; he composes his first works and publishes its first book: the lily and the snake .

From 1907 to 1909, it goes to Paris to study philosophy under the aegis of Henri Bergson. He discovers also the thought of Nietzsche to which he devotes his thesis: Friedrich Nietzsche in the philosophy of the right and the city .

In 1910, of return in Greece, it translates works of philosophy.

In 1911, he marries Galatia Alexiou (separation in 1926).

In 1912, it publishes a test on Bergson, then he is volunteer and combat in the Balkan wars.

In 1914, it meets Angelos Sikelianos with which it carries out during two years of the pilgrimages (Athos Mount) and which will infuse a strong nationalist conscience to him.

In 1917, it meets Georges Zorbas, future icon of Alexis Zorba , and works a mine with him…

In 1918, he travels and resides in Switzerland.

In 1919, it is named General secretary of the Ministry for the public assistance, with for mission the repatriation of the Greek population of the Caucasus the shortly after the Russian Revolution of 1917.

From 1921 to 1924, having resigned from this station, he travels to Germany, to Crete, to Austria and Italy. He meets Éleni Samiou in Athens and begins his Odyssée , his poetic philosopher's stone of: 33333 worms of seventeen syllables.

From 1925 to 1928, he travels to the USSR in company of the French-speaking Rumanian writer Panaït Istrati, then to Palestine, to Spain, to Italy, in Cyprus, to Egypt and in Sudan. He meets Pandelis Prevalaki, his friend expensive, and Gorki.

From 1929 to 1936, it remains in Tchéquie, in France, in Égine, in Spain (during the war), in China and in Japan. He writes film scenarios, and accounts of voyages.

In 1937 it builds a house with Égine.

In 1938, it publishes its Odyssée , in its seventh version.

In 1939, it goes to Great Britain.

During the Second world war, it resides at Égine where it is devoted to its work: Alexis Zorba .

In 1945, he marries in second weddings Éleni Samiou, fact part of the government and creates a political party: working socialist Union.

In 1946, it accomplishes official trips in Great Britain and France. Alexis Zorba is published.

In 1947, it is named Conseiller with the Literature with UNESCO.

In 1948, he resigns and settles about it in Antibes, in France.

In 1950, he travels to Spain and begins Last Temptation , finished the following year.

In 1951 and 1952, it remains in Italy, in Austria, in the Netherlands.

In 1953 he is hospitalized in Paris for a disease with the right eye. The Church of Greece the attack because of its last work.

In 1954, Last Temptation is put at the index by the Pope. Victim of a leukemia it is neat in Germany, with Freiburg-in-Brisgau.

In 1955, it sets out again in Italy and Switzerland, and meets in Alsace Dr. Albert Schweitzer.

In 1956, it is still neat in Freiburg and Vienna, where it receives the Price of peace, before going as Slovenia.

In 1957, it sets out again in China and in Japan, where it falls down sick. It is neat in Copenhagen then again in Freiburg, where following its Asian flu, it dies out on October 26th. It will be repatriated in Héraklion where it will be buried on November 5th in the ramparts of the city, following prohibition by the clergy of his burial to the cemetery. On its tomb the epitaph is registered: I do not hope for anything, I do not fear anything, I am libre.

Works and ideas

Níkos Kazantzákis was as much a man of action that a scholar. “A true man is that which resists, which fights and which is not afraid with the need to say Non, even with God. ” ( Letter in Greco ) Such was the motor bike of its life. Its search of authenticity and truth carried out it throughout the world on slipping grounds (Balkan war, war of Spain, Russia and China in revolution). It went from country in country, of doctrines in doctrines, marrying many causes which touched its heart. One will distinguish:

  • the Greek heritage: Ulysses, Dionysos, Prométhée, Homère,

  • specificity crétoise: Kapétan Mikhalis, Greco,

  • the Christian heritage: Jesus-Christ, Saint-François, Dante,

  • figures of resistant: Don Quichotte, Faust,

  • figures of Messiahs: Bergson, Nietzsche, Lénine, Schweitzer,

  • the safety of the East: Buddha,

Publications

Novels:

  • the lily and the snake (1906), Monaco, Editions of the Rock, 1990.
  • In the palate of Minos (or In the palates of knossos ) (1914-40), transl. by Jacqueline Moatti-Fine, Paris, Plon, 1984.
  • Alexis Zorba (1946), transl. by Yvonne Gauthier with Gisele Prassinos and Pierre Fridas, Paris, Plon, 1963.
  • Christ recrucifié (or Greek Passion ) (1948), Paris, Plon.
  • the Enemy brothers (1949), Paris, Plon, 1965.
  • Freedom or death (Kapétan Mikhalis) (1950), Paris, Plon.
  • Last temptation (1951), transl. by Michel Salt maker, Paris, Plon, 1959.
  • the Poor one of Sitted (1956), transl. by Gisele Prassinos and Pierre Fridas, Paris, Plon, 1957.

Not translated novels:

  • broken Hearts (1908)

  • the life empress (1909)
  • Alexandre Large the (1914-40)
  • the Banquet (1922)

Poetries:

  • the Odyssey (1924-39), transl. by Jacqueline Moatti Fine, Paris, Plon, 1971.

Not translated poetries:

  • Canti ( Tersinès ) (1932-37)

  • Pinakothiki and Panathinaia (1906-1908), poêmes in prose

Tests and accounts:

  • Asceticism. Salvatore Dei (1922-44), Paris, Plon.

  • Toda raba, Moscow shouted (1929), written in French, Paris, Plon.
  • Of the Sinai Mount in the island of Come. Notebook of voyage (1927), Paris, Plon.
  • Voyage I: China-Japan (1935-58), transl. by Liliane Princet and Nikos Athanassiou, Paris, Plon, 1971.
  • Voyage II: Russia (1928), transl. by Liliane Princet, Paris, Plon, 1977.
  • Voyage III: Spain (1937), Paris, Plon.
  • the Garden of the Rocks (1936), written in French, Paris, Plon, 1959.
  • Letter in Greco. Memories of my life (1956) (posthumous publication in 1961), transl. by Michel Salt maker, Paris, Plon, 1961
  • Talks (1957) with Pierre Sipriot, Monaco, Editions of the Rock, 1990.
  • the dissident (published correspondence on a purely posthumous basis by its wife), Switzerland, Groundwork and the Surface, 1993.

Not represented tests:

  • evil of the century (1906)

  • Friedrisch Nietzsche in the philosophy of the right and the city (1909) (available in English)
  • Henri Bergson (1913)
  • History of the Russian literature (1929)
  • Anthology of Spanish poetry (1932)
  • Voyages in England (1940)

Theater:

  • Theater 1: Melissa (1937), Kouros (1949), Christophe Colomb (1949), Paris, Plon, 1971

  • Theater 2: Buddha (1941) Paris, Plon, 1982
  • the master mason (1910), has Die, 1997.

Not translated tragedies and parts:

  • the day rises (1907)

  • Fasga (1907)
  • Until when? (1907)
  • Comédie (1908)
  • Christ (1915)
  • Ulysses (1915)
  • Héraclès (1920)
  • Christ (1921)
  • Νicéphore Phocas (1915-27)
  • Othello returns (1936)
  • Julien the apostate (1939)
  • Prométhée (1943)
  • Kapodistria (1944)
  • Sodome and Gomorrhe (1948)
  • Constantin paleologist (1951)

Translations in modern Greek:

  • Oeuvres of Plato in 1912

  • the birth of the tragedy of Nietzsche in 1912
  • Ainsi spoke Zarathoustra about Nietzsche in 1913
  • the laughter of Bergson in 1915
  • Dictionnaire Larousse in 1930, unfinished, in collaboration with Prevelaki.
  • Works of Jules Verne in 1931
  • the Divine comedy of Dante in 1931
  • Faust of Goethe in 1936
  • Iliade and the Odyssey of Homère in 1942 and 1943
  • the prince of Machiavel

Films

Several films are based on its work:

An opera was written by Manolis Kalomiris, musician Greek of the beginning of the 20th century on the master mason ; work of impressionist inspiration debussyste somewhat. It is necessary to consider Greek Passion according to the Christ Recrucifié which was the object of all the care of a large Czech musician, Bohuslav Martinu, friend of Níkos; there exist two versions of the same work which are radically different.

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