Ritsos in Parentheses

This collection showcases Yannis Ritsos's poetic evolution over three decades, highlighting his exploration of human connection and isolation in Ritsos in Parentheses.

In Ritsos in Parentheses, the reader is invited to explore the profound poetic journey of Yannis Ritsos, one of Greece's most significant poets. His work draws inspiration from the likes of Cavafy, Sikelianos, and Seferis, embodying a dramatic and symbolic expression of life's inherent tragedies. This collection encompasses three volumes of poetry, spanning from 1946 to 1975, that reflect Ritsos's evolving sensibility and the subtleties of his perception over three decades.

The translations included in Ritsos in Parentheses showcase Ritsos's ability to convey deep emotional landscapes through his unique stylistic purity. In his introduction, Edmund Keeley elucidates the significance of the book's title, suggesting that the parentheses symbolize a yearning for connection between isolated individuals. Despite the gestures towards bridging this gap, the ultimate meeting remains elusive, encapsulating the tragic essence of human existence that Ritsos so masterfully portrays.

As the volumes progress, the distance within the parentheses expands, revealing a stark yet evocative landscape that marks Ritsos's later work. Originally published in 1979, this collection is now made accessible again through the Princeton Legacy Library, ensuring that Ritsos's important contributions to literature continue to resonate with new generations of readers.