Tristia in historiese konteks

Abstract

The article endeavours to answer the question of how the 1988 reader reacts to Tristia (1962). The poems are placed against the political, cultural and literary context of the 1950s in Europe, and it is pointed out how Tristia is multi-faceted in tone, texture and content, reflecting the tensions of its socio-historical context. The reception of the book at the time of publication is looked at, and the line is then drawn through to 1988. In the present situation the reader is struck by the Eurocentredness of the work and the strongly intellectual perspective. Whereas Rob Antonissen, A.P. Grové and W.E.G. Louw stressed the “richness” and “greatness” of the poetry, today’s reader would probably relate more to the social relevance portrayed in the perspective given in the work on the struggle between physical violence and the striving of the human spirit not to go under in this battle.