The Mythical Mediterranean Sea. Crossroads of Cultures, People and Civilizations, 2019
The Modern Greek poet Yannis Ritsos travels to Italy many times from 1976 to 1990.During his trip... more The Modern Greek poet Yannis Ritsos travels to Italy many times from 1976 to 1990.During his trips, either he writes down notes with his impressions or he composes relevant verseson the spot, producing three collections of poems which form the Italian Triptych. Although thepoet admires the Italian monuments and he is particularly attracted to the statues, his Italian-themed poems mostly depict scenes of everyday life. He observes the Italian people, theutilitarian objects they use and their actions and he praises the Mediterranean Sea and the natural,cultural or urban Italian landscape. “The world is one”, Ritsos declares while visiting Italy,recognizing the transfusion of the Greek civilization into the Italian one. Is it because he realizesthe similarities between his homeland and Italy? Is it because he is fully aware of the commonhistorical and cultural heritage? Or is it because both Italy and Greece are surrounded by theMediterranean, the sea which simultaneously unites and divides countries, cultures, people andpeoples? The Greek and Italian civilizations and cultures intersect, interact and, in some places,intermingle. Ritsos acknowledges this identity which is not local or national, it is not Italian orGreek, yet it is Mediterranean.
The Mythical Mediterranean Sea. Crossroads of Cultures, People and Civilizations, 2019
The Modern Greek poet Yannis Ritsos travels to Italy many times from 1976 to 1990.During his trip... more The Modern Greek poet Yannis Ritsos travels to Italy many times from 1976 to 1990.During his trips, either he writes down notes with his impressions or he composes relevant verseson the spot, producing three collections of poems which form the Italian Triptych. Although thepoet admires the Italian monuments and he is particularly attracted to the statues, his Italian-themed poems mostly depict scenes of everyday life. He observes the Italian people, theutilitarian objects they use and their actions and he praises the Mediterranean Sea and the natural,cultural or urban Italian landscape. “The world is one”, Ritsos declares while visiting Italy,recognizing the transfusion of the Greek civilization into the Italian one. Is it because he realizesthe similarities between his homeland and Italy? Is it because he is fully aware of the commonhistorical and cultural heritage? Or is it because both Italy and Greece are surrounded by theMediterranean, the sea which simultaneously unites and divides countries, cultures, people andpeoples? The Greek and Italian civilizations and cultures intersect, interact and, in some places,intermingle. Ritsos acknowledges this identity which is not local or national, it is not Italian orGreek, yet it is Mediterranean.
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