Dionysios Solomos

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ

Dionysios Solomos (Zakynthos, April 8, 1798 – Corfu, February 9, 1857)

Dionysios Solomos is one of the most significant figures in Modern Greek literature and is regarded as the national poet of Greece. His work is characterized by deep patriotism, high idealism, and a strong concern for the moral and spiritual elevation of the Greek people. His most emblematic composition is the “Hymn to Liberty”, the first two stanzas of which were established as the national anthem of Greece in 1865 and of Cyprus in 1966.

Early Years and Education

Dionysios Solomos was born in Zakynthos on April 8, 1798, the son of Count Nikolaos Solomos, a member of the Zakynthian aristocracy, and his servant Angeliki Nikli. Although born illegitimate, he was recognized by his father shortly before his death, securing Solomos’ right to his inheritance and social acceptance.

At a young age, he was sent to Italy to study, first attending the lyceum in Cremona and later the Law School of Pavia. During his time there, he devoted himself to the study of Italian poetry and language and was deeply influenced by the Italian literary tradition, especially by Pietro Metastasio, Torquato Tasso, and Dante. His earliest poems were written in Italian.

Return to Zakynthos and Turn to the Greek Language

In 1818, he returned to Zakynthos, where he began to write in Greek, although his relationship with the vernacular language (Demotic Greek) was initially ambivalent. His contact with the radical scholar and jurist Spyridon Trikoupis proved decisive in shaping his Greek patriotism and his involvement with national ideals. By 1823, under the influence of the Greek War of Independence, Solomos began composing poetry intended to express the spirit of the struggle for liberation.

The Hymn to Liberty

In 1823, Solomos composed his most famous work, Hymn to Liberty, a poem of 158 quatrains. The poem is a hymn to Liberty, personified as a sacred figure reborn through the fire of the Greek people's struggle. It celebrates self-sacrifice, faith, and hope in the enslaved Greek nation. The poem was published in Missolonghi in 1824, and in 1865 its first two stanzas were officially adopted as Greece’s national anthem.

Move to Corfu and Mature Works

In 1828, Solomos moved to Corfu, where he remained until the end of his life. He lived in relative isolation, devoted to study and writing, while encouraging younger poets, such as Iakovos Polylas. In Corfu, Solomos shifted toward a purer poetic vision and philosophical depth, though much of his work from this period remains fragmented or unfinished.

His most important mature works include:

The Destruction of Psara

On the Death of Lord Byron

The Free Besieged: A moving, though unfinished, work inspired by the siege of Missolonghi

The Cretan: A poem blending romanticism, mysticism, and national emotion

The Woman of Zakynthos: A symbolic prose work with strong satirical and social elements

Language and Aesthetic Vision

Solomos was a passionate supporter of the Demotic Greek language at a time when Katharevousa (a more archaic and formal Greek) dominated. He believed the language of the people could authentically express the nation's ethos and ideals. His work marks the beginning of the Heptanese School of literature and laid the foundations for the national literature of modern Hellenism.

His poetic vision sought a unity between form and content, influenced by Romanticism, but always infused with moral and spiritual concerns. Themes such as liberty, death, sacrifice, and faith are fundamental to his work.

Death and Legacy

Dionysios Solomos died on February 9, 1857, in Corfu at the age of 58. In 1865, his remains were transferred and buried in his birthplace, Zakynthos. Today, they are preserved in the Museum of Solomos and Eminent Zakynthians.

His contribution to Greek literature is considered invaluable. Beyond the national anthem, he left a legacy of poetic excellence that combines patriotic sentiment, linguistic authenticity, and philosophical reflection.