Yiorgos Theotokas ( el, Γιώργος Θεοτοκάς), formally Georgios Theotokas (Γεώργιος Θεοτοκάς; 27 August 1905 – 30 October 1966), was a Greek

novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living writing novels and other fiction, while others aspire ...

Biography

He was born in

Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...

(now

Istanbul ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_i ...

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula ...

). He became one of the main representatives of the "

Generation of the '30s The Generation of the '30s () was a group of Greek writers, poets, artists, intellectuals, critics, and scholars who made their debut in the 1930s and introduced modernism in Greek art and literature. The Generation of the '30s is also cited as a so ...

". After studying in

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates a ...

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

, and

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, his first essay was ''Free Spirit'' (1929). This was followed by three novels before

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

: ''Argo'' (1936), ''The Demon'' (1938), and ''Leonís'' (1940). His first and most influential novel, ''Argo'', dealt with the problems of young people growing up in difficult and turbulent times. After the war he became more involved with the theatre, and was twice director of the Greek National Theatre. Today he is perhaps best remembered for his friendship and correspondence with major figures of the Generation of the Thirties including the Nobel prize-winner

George Seferis Giorgos or George Seferis (; gr, Γιώργος Σεφέρης ), the pen name of Georgios Seferiades (Γεώργιος Σεφεριάδης; March 13 – September 20, 1971), was a Greek poet and diplomat. He was one of the most important G ...

; but ''Argo'' remains in print. He died in Athens.

Bibliography

Novels

* ''Αργώ'' (Argo), Vol. 1: 1933, Vol. 2: 1936 * ''Το Δαιμόνιο'' (The Demon), 1938 * ''Λεωνής'' (Leonís), 1940 * ''Ασθενείς και Οδοιπόροι'' (Patients and Travellers), Part 1 (''Ιερά Οδός''): 1950, full edition: 1964 * ''Οι Καμπάνες'' (The Bells), 1970 * ''Σημαίες στον ήλιο'' (Flags in the Sun), including ''Λεωνής'' and ''Παιδική ηλικία'' (Childhood), 1985

Short stories

* ''Ευριπίδης Πεντοζάλης και Άλλες Ιστορίες'' (Evripidis Pendozalis and other stories), 1937

Essays

* ''Ελεύθερο Πνεύμα'' (Free Spirit), 1929 (using the pseudonym Ορέστης Διγενής - Orestis Digenis) * ''Εμπρός στο Κοινωνικό Πρόβλημα'', 1932 * ''Στο κατώφλι των Νέων Καιρών'', 1945 * ''Προβλήματα του Καιρού Μας'', 1956 * ''Πνευματική Πορεία'', 1961

Plays

* ''Αντάρα στ' Ανάπλι'' (Scud in

Nafplion Nafplio ( ell, Ναύπλιο) is a coastal city located in the Peloponnese in Greece and it is the capital of the regional unit of Argolis and an important touristic destination. Founded in antiquity, the city became an important seaport in th ...

) * ''Το Γεφύρι της Άρτας'' * ''Όνειρο του Δωδεκάμερου'' * ''Το Κάστρο της Ωριάς'' * ''Το Παιχνίδι της Τρέλας και της Φρονιμάδας'' * ''Συναπάντημα στην Πεντέλη'' * ''Το Τίμημα της Λευτεριάς'' * ''Πέφτει το Βράδυ'' * ''Αλκιβιάδης'' * ''Ο Τελευταίος Πόλεμος'' * '' Λάκαινα'' * ''Σκληρές Ρίζες'' * ''Η Άκρη του Δρόμου''

Travel literature

* ''Δοκίμιο για την Αμερική'' (Essay for America) * ''Ταξίδι στη Μέση Ανατολή και στο Άγιον Όρος'' (Journey to Middle East and Mount Athos), 1961 * ''Ταξίδια: Περσία, Ρουμανία, Σοβιετική Ένωση, Βουλγαρία'' (Journeys: Persia, Romania, Soviet Union, Bulgaria)

Other works

* ''Ώρες Αργίας'' (Leisure Hours), 1931 * ''Ημερολόγιο της "Αργώς" και του "Δαιμονίου"'' (Diary of "Argo" and "the Demon"), 1939 * "Τετράδια Ημερολογίου 1939-1953" (Diary Books 1939-1953) * ''Στοχασμοί και Θέσεις'' (RPonderings and Positions), Political texts: 1925-1949 & 1950-1966, Vol. 1 & 2 * ''Η Ορθοδοξία στον Καιρό Μας'' (Orthodoxy in Our Times) * ''Μια Αλληλογραφία'' (A Correspondence of Letters)

Translations

* ''Leonis'', tr. Donald E. Martin (1985) * ''Argo'', tr. E. M. Brooke, A. Tsatsopoulos (1951)

References

* Αράγης, Γ., ''Γιώργος Θεοτοκάς, Συλλογή: Η Μεσοπολεμική πεζογραφία. Από τον πρώτο ως τον δεύτερο παγκόσμιο πόλεμο (1914-1939)'', Vol. 4, ed. Σοκόλης, Athens 1992. p. 8-81. * Ν. Ι. Καγκελάρης, «Γ. Θεοτοκάς, ''Αργώ'': Οι Φιλικοί Ασημάκης Κορκίδης και Μάνθος Οικονόμου πίσω από τον πρώτο Νοταρά (1771-1824)», ''Μικροφιλολογικά'' 42 (2017): 62-

* Α. Καραντώνη, ''Πεζογράφοι και πεζογραφήματα της γενιάς του '30'', ed. Παπαδήμας, Athens 1977. * Κ. Μητσάκη, ''Νεοελληνική πεζογραφία. Η γενιά του '30'', Athens 1977. * Marc Terrades, ''Le Drame de l'hellénisme. Ion Dragoumis (1878-1920) et la question nationale en Grèce au début du XXe siècle'', L'Harmattan, 2005.
. * Mario Vitti, ''Η γενιά του τριάντα. Ιδεολογία και μορφή'', ed. Ερμής, Athens 1977. * Γιαλουράκης Ε., ''Θεοτοκάς Γιώργος'', Μεγάλη Εγκυκλοπαίδεια της Νεοελληνικής Λογοτεχνίας, ed. Εκδοτική Αθηνών, 1985. * «Διαβάζω» Magazine, 12. 2. 1986, "Αφιέρωμα στον Γιώργο Θεοτοκά"

External links

‘Theatrical Group of Tripoli’ (in Greek)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Theotokas, Yorgos 1906 births 1966 deaths Constantinopolitan Greeks Greek novelists Generation of the '30s Greeks from the Ottoman Empire 20th-century novelists Greek short story writers Emigrants from the Ottoman Empire to Greece Greek expatriates in the United Kingdom Greek expatriates in France Writers from Istanbul Lawyers from Istanbul