Kostis Palamas (1859-1943), poet, prose writer, playwright, literary theorist and critic, and translator, has contributed a tremendous and diverse body of work to modern Greek literature. His work has been both innovative and fruitful for the transformation of our literature, especially poetry, and its modernization.
However, after the rapid cultural changes in post-war Greek society and the influx of modernism and surrealism into our poetry, Palamas' work was limited to being used almost exclusively in school celebrations of national anniversaries, as his poetic discourse was arbitrarily identified with the rhetoric of his major compositions.
The book highlights Palamas' overall contribution to modern Greek literature, but mainly focuses on the overlooked yet essential characteristics of his poetry. The studies included shed light on complementary aspects of Palamas' overall creative output and address, among other things, his still relevant theory of Art and Poetry, his relationship with Realism, Parnassianism, Symbolism, or Music, as well as his contribution to the cultivation and enrichment of the poetic language.
Experts in modern Greek literature can thus ascertain that the existence of Palamas' work interprets the existence of many facets, tendencies, genres, and forms of our poetry after Palamas' era and up to the present day, while contemporary readers will discover in Palamas' poetic discourse abundant examples of high artistic consciousness, personal emotion of subdued tones, philosophical reflection, or satire, all expressed with concise and often austere style, vivid imagery, suggestive metaphorical language, and astonishing rhythm.