Cretan Renaissance(1590-1669) - Common Themes and Project Templates

Cretan Renaissance (1590-1669)

Common Themes and Project Templates

Georgios Stampoulidis

Lund University

Centre for Languages and Literature

Specialization in Modern Greek Literature, 15 ECTS (NYGM13)

Modern Greek Language and Linguistics

March, 2014

Supervisor: Vassilios Sabatakakis

Cretan Renaissance (1590-1669) - Common Themes and Project Templates

2

Contents

1. Abstract……………………………………………………………….............................................3

2. Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………...3

3. The "Shepherdess"…………………………………………………………………………….…....3

4. The "Sacrifice of Abraham"………………………………………………………………………...4

5. "Erophile"……………………………………………………………...............................................6

5.1 Ideas and concepts of human society of the era in which Erophile was written…………...........7

5.2 Concept for the divine and the metaphysical…………………………………….........................7

5.3 The despotism of the king and the "heroic" element……………………………………..….......7

5.4 Love (Eros)……………………………………………………………........................................8

6. "Erotokritos"………………………………………………………………………………………….8

6.1 Common themes and differences with the Hellenistic novel, the Byzantine novel and chivalric

novels…………………………………………………………………………………………………11

6.2 Epilogue ………………………………………………………………………………………...12

7. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………..............................12

8. Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………………………13

9. Bibliography.………………………………………………………………………………………..14


3

1. Abstract

The paper discusses how a remarkable literary flowering took place in Crete during the Venetian rule

from the 15th

to the 17th

century, especially among 1590 and 1669 (subjugation of Crete to the

Turks), as the Venetian rule was mild compared with the domination of the Turks1. Subsequently, an

extensive reference is entailed to the content of the projects that have been chosen for our analysis

that are exemplified of Cretan literature. Moreover, the analysis will focus on selected themes and on

previous works that constitute a model for their own project or how the chosen issues are

interconnected to any cultural or literary endogenous and exogenous origins.

2. Introduction

The Flowering of literary production was observed in the Frankish, and Venetian rule areas,

culminated in Crete and especially between the periods from 1600 to 1669. Consequently, this is

reasonable because Crete had an apparently ancient poetic tradition approximately from the 10th

century. Furthermore, during the 10th

century there was a unique type of frontier poetry (frontiersmen

songs), the "rizitika". The cultivated area of Crete receives this creative poetry and assimilates the

foreign influences, producing works of high aesthetic value and contributing to the formation of

national Modern Greek consciousness. Thus, the unique humanitarian ethics of Greek culture was

enriched with new elements such as idealization of women, the expression of love, the chivalrous

spirit and the duty of man for himself. The poetry of that period acquires a unique character with

more humanistic elements. The literary genre that makes special the Cretan Literature is the Cretan

Theater and the central figure of that period is the great poet of that period, named Georgios

Hortatsis. His works are "The Gyparis", the enormous task of "Erophile", and the comedy

"Koutsourmpos". Exponent of the same literary genre (Cretan Theater) is Marcos Antonios Foskolos

with his comedy "Fortunato". However, the dominant works that embellish the Cretan Literature this

period of time are the works of the major poet, Vitsentzos Kornaros. His works are "The Sacrifice of

Abraham" and "Erotokritos". The literary inceptions of Vitsentzos Kornaros are distinguished for

their superb composition, plasticity and deep psychological analysis of human characters. Vitsentzos

Kornaros through Erotokritos bequeaths us the code of values, and the set of principles and ways that

characterize each of us. The main elements that make up these codes to values are Knowledge,

Beauty, Grace, the Ideal Lover, the Perfect Friendship and Love for freedom, the Heroic Conception

of Life and the Recognition of Human Errors2. The "Shepherdess", the "Sacrifice of Abraham",

"Erophile" and "Erotokritos" are the most popular works of Renaissance Cretan literature and

constitute the four projects that have been selected for our analysis in this paper.

3. The "Shepherdess"

The "Shepherdess" is the first masterpiece of Renaissance-period for the Greek Literature. Although

the first testified version of this project is initiated in 1627, its writing must have been around 16003.

1 Holton David (2006:22-24)

2 Politis Linos (1958) 3Babbys Dermitzakis(1990)


4

Inspired by Italian pastoral Renaissance poetry expresses homesickness for the physical life of rural

and the romance is characterized by rare literary virtues. According to Dimaras4

the beauty of speech,

the elegance of expression and the very slight psychological nuances give to the characters of the

heroes’ occasionally exquisite chiaroscuro. It is supposed to be a large generator of elements which

the poet fetched up from the literary cultural tank and uses them to exalt the characters. The synopsis

is simple: a young shepherd and a shepherdess come together and fall madly in love to each other.

They live together for some time, but the young shepherd is forced to leave, as they constantly fear of

the appearance of her father. Therefore, the shepherd arranges to return in a month. However,

meanwhile, he falls ill and so fails to his promise. The shepherdess not seeing her beloved coming

back dies from a heart ache. When he finally arrives, he finds her old father mourns his dead

daughter. The play ends up with the torn of a shepherd5.

The Cretan poem, as has been mentioned by the scholars several times6 is an "absolutely artistic"

creation which belongs with the tradition of Italian Arcadian mannerisms and it is basically not

related to ethnographical descriptions of the Cretan countryside7. The unknown poet of

"Shepherdess", as another Vitsentzos Kornaros has studied all the works of Italian Renaissance and

as a result the "Shepherdess" is recommended as a legitimate "child" of this fruitful relationship

between an unknown poet with the developed sensor servants. Furthermore, we reasonably conclude

that the unidentified poet has studied the Italian poetry of Arcadian Renaissance, as idyllic

descriptions, which do not match with the natural landscape of Crete7.

Nowadays, is generally accepted from the scholars of Cretan Literature that "Shepherdess" has a

unique literary character quite inspired by the Italian Renaissance and especially by the Italian poems

of pastorella speckled by excessively supremely a stream of petrarchism dominated in West8. In this

work of Cretan literature sadness and death follow the joy and aliveness which was prevailing at the

beginning of the project. The Chance, Fate and the Feelings as examined here and below in other

projects that follow in our analysis are alternated in order to conclude in a sad and violent end to the

death of the heroine9.

3. The "Sacrifice of Abraham"

Another great work of Cretan literature of that era is the "Sacrifice of Abraham". It is about a

religious drama that is based on the well-known from the Old Testament sacrifice of Isaac by his

father Abraham. The pilot project of this was according to the experts, the poem "Lo Isach" by the

Venetian poet Luigi Groton, issued in 158610

exceeding the standard, which has been confirmed in

1928 when Mavrogordato pointed this out in his famous article11

. As Alexiou Stylianos12

mentions

4 K.Th. Dimaras(2000:31)

5 Rosemary Bancroft – Marcus(2006)

6 Kapsomenos E(1990)

7 P.D.Mastrodimitri(2005:119-121)

8 Holton David(2006:121)

9 Ibid(123)

10 Ibid(230)

11 Ibid(228)


5

the focus of this work is not on a religious emotion, but on the subtle and refined delete of the

psychology of the heroes. Abraham is not entirely the biblical Abraham or Abraham of medieval

mysteries. Passively, he rejects the divine command related to sacrificing his son Isaac but asks God

to annul. The most dramatic form, however, is the form of his wife, Sarah. As Linos Politis13

said, at

the end of the project that stays longer to the reader is the form of Sarah, the heartrending laments

and not Abraham with his relative talkativeness. Τhe figure of the mother is not opposed to the

husband as in the project template of the Cretan poet, as the latter approaches the mother as an

unified and indivisible face, which tries to follow on one side the imperatives of the divine nature and

on the other hand acts as a traumatized human, screaming and hurting in front of the wailing mother

who loses her child. At this point according to the scholars we might say that this lament reminds to

the audience the Lamentations of the Virgin, the mother of Christian tradition14

.The female figure,

Sarah, of Cretan poet, we would say that is shown as a Greek mother and as a wife with an excess of

the love, respect, and trust to her husband in contrast to Sarah of Grotto where there is no

womanhood presented by human aspects and the characters are converted into a plastic face. We

could effortlessly reach to the conclusion that the Cretan poet took only advantages of the virtues of

the Italian project but thereafter proceeded by setting up his own extensions, which are undoubtedly

the ones which distinguish this project and place it on top of the Cretan literature as well as transform

it into a large number of facts and qualities found in the Cretan family heritage and so make up the

national identity.

Therefore, at this point the craftsmanship of the author is unveiled. If poetry is not reached the level

required by the subject, the pain of a mother about losing her child, the project would have failed. It

is known that "The Sacrifice of Abraham" is a dramatic poem of Cretan literature, consisting of 1,154

fifteen- rhymed verses, dating around 1635. The poet, within the prevailing view, is the creator of

"Erotokritos" Vitsentzos Kornaros (Apart from the superiority of these two works over all other

Cretan literature, their linguistic similarity makes it likely that the same author wrote both).

The synopsis is based on the same biblical tradition. An angel wakes Abraham at dawn and

announces that God asks for him to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham begs God not to deprive him of

his only child and then wakes up Sarah, whο falls unconscious when she hears the terrible news.

Then, they succumb to the divine will, wake up and dress him quite puzzled and Abraham leads him

to the place of sacrifice. There, when the truth is revealed, Isaac begs his father to spare his life, but

eventually he accepts a sacrifice, since this is the will of God. But while Abraham prepares to

sacrifice his child with the knife, here the solution comes. An angel, as "deus ex machina", stops him

and a ram that is currently displayed will be the carcass of sacrifice. The poet does not insist on the

religious emotion, as the deletion of the internal psychological status of persons, but he masterfully

represents the psychology of the child, father and mother, and according to Linos Politis this is a very

deep similarity along all other works of Cretan Literature15

.

Later on, the opinion that "Sacrifice of Abraham" is a religious drama of those which were very

popular in the Middle Ages in Europe, is not considered correct today. Vitsentzos Kornaros removed

12

Alexiou Stylianos(1969) 13

Linos Politis(1978:66) 14

Holton David(2006:237) 15

Politis Linos (1978)


6

the project from the biblical tradition and adapted it with great success to the Cretan society. The

persons, who in the old legend are blind executive bodies of the mandate of God, here are represented

as human characters, which are not passively entitled to the divine judgment. The poet preserves a

critical position towards religious faith. The plot of the events, the adventures and of course the

lyricism of this work reminds us ancient tragedy, while the human character and the rich rhyme lyrics

established it a favorite folk reading in Crete.

In any case, it should be clear that the sources of the project of Vitsentzos Kornaros, according to D.

Holton16

, should be found in Greece and not in Italy. If we study in depth all the features that

comprise both -Sarah and Abraham- as much as we will notice that all these are mainly Greek

characteristics and the relationship between faith and blind obedience, as well as those of free

willingness and freedom of speech are a matter of studying both the ancient Greek intellectual spirit

and the Orthodox Church throughout the centuries17

.The common poetic place of the sacrifice with

the other projects which are analyzed in this paper depends on the fact that the persons and the

characters are portrayed in their human side and all folklore, religious, European and Greek elements

are interweaved all together, reconstructing the primordial theme of religious sacrifice here, or the

innocent and excessive love and trust in Erotokritos and Erophile.

5. "Erophile"

"Erophile" and "The Sacrifice of Abraham" are the two top masterpieces of Cretan theater. Therefore,

not only scholars have adjudicated, but also the thousands of readers, as evidenced by the successive

versions of these two projects. For "Erophile" there is an Italian model, "Οrbecche" of acts of

Giovanni Giraldi18

, but the Greek poet worked very freely, mitigated the bloody scenes and gave to

his Heroes ethos and more kindness with deeper Greek character. Further there are some smaller

influences received by the writer of the "King Torrismonto". Nevertheless Vitti19

says that "the

dependence of this project by Italian standards in no way reduces its value", while Aristos

Kampanis20

, noticed that even if it was a simple translation, the translator would be worth as a poet

and his work as original work.

The text begins with Charos talking about "Luck". But Charos has another job to do regarding as the

outcome of the tragic myth. The myth is not known to the Cretan tragedies, contrary to what happens

in conventional, and therefore the audience should learn the end of the project. At this level, there is

no suspense (suspense about the outcome of the story), which characterizes the modern drama,

inspired by the novel. The viewer knows beforehand what is going to happen, and so-called hero, and

all the happenings on stage are assessed on the basis of the terrible prospect. The first act (the project

has a total of five acts), begins with the monologue of Panaretos with lavish erotic lyricism. Then his

friend Karpoforos arrives and confesses his love for the beautiful princess Erophile, Filogono’s

16

Holton David(2006) 17

Ibid(246-248) 18

Ibid(157-160) 19

Vitti M.(1960:173-200) 20

Claude Fauriel(2000:23-24)


7

daughter, the king of Memphis, where the whole story is played. At first, he says that he tried to

drown this erotic improper feeling, but this emotion was constantly growing.

5.1 Ideas and concepts of human society of the era in which Erophile was written

The tragedy of Erophile leads to the fulfillment of the prescribed course of heroes. Already in the

preface (Verse 1-135) Charos, in his address to the audience indicates itself as supreme and Power

Leveling leading all the eminent or inglorious people to death. He states at the outset that the king

and his daughter will be brought to Hades because the former must be punished for the evil

committed. The King at this point used to believe in good luck (C, 357), until he found out that the

marriage of his daughter with Panaretos and then the misery was occurred in his life. (C, 148). In

confessing his love for Erophile, Panaretos says that he is not allowed to die in one of the war’s battle

(A, 275-6). Erophile invoked the fate of as "bad and litigation, tormented fate" (C, 9), and returned to

her love for Panaretos as the will of a higher power (C, 177-80).

5.2 Concept for the divine and the metaphysical

According to Nena all people have to go through testing before going to the other world ( II , 195-6 )

, integrating the Christian elements of hell and paradise ( B, 277-8 ). The sky exists as a divine and

pagan element when Panaretos urges fruiting in order to challenge the bitterness and he expects the

sky to put a good end (A, 497-8) for the forbidden love that he feels for the Princess. The spirit of

dead Filogono’s brother is a predominant element of Christian population and drives out demons

back to the underworld (C, 373). Nena in the dirge says the Erophile impoverishes the land and

enriches Hades (R, 573-4). Moreover, the death of innocent Erophile could join the Christian

perception associated with the proverb: "sin’s parents chastise children". (Αμαρτίες γονέων,

παιδεύουσι τέκνα)

People of that era may believe in fate, but as showed by the Dance of the girls, God can change (B,

524-6) or determine the given decision of Zeus. The ascites appeared to remind the imposed

punishment of the king, as he had killed himself and his children (III, 270-3) and not to rightfully

usurp the royal throne.

5.3 The despotism of the king and the "heroic" element

The perception of kings who have a despotic character (A, 129-30) is reflected to "Erophile".

Filogonos ordered his soldiers to bring him Panaretos (W, 607-10) to kill him and the soldiers blindly

obeyed him as "dogs" (E, 101). In the detailed account of messengers for the murder of Panaretos,

the king is presented as a misanthrope (E, 141-166) and the mismanaged power should be punished.

The king named Filogonos focuses on interest in the perpetuation of the royal house. Erophile’s

marriage with an enemy, according to the wishes of her father, would serve exactly this purpose,

since he managed to keep the peace in his kingdom (B, 404). Panaretos had royal lineage (A, 141-2),

was virtuous and brought the heroic element after every war crowned winner (A, 351-2). Perhaps, the

poet unveils to the royal status of Panaretos since the marriage of the princess might not be

compatible. However, the humanistic idea advocated by Erophile apologizing to her father on the


8

choice of her partner, which overlooks the origin of her beloved and only focuses on the value of the

virtues (W, 277-88), likely to represent the new concepts that brought the world of the Renaissance.

It displays a society where people feel at the mercy of the will and the despotism of each king, and

have developed a sense of revenge in case of justice. Moreover, the notion is reflected that all people

are equal to kings against God and Fate, as it is quite clear from the words of Dance at the end of the

tragedy that indicates riches and Good Luck are simply shade less (E, 671-2).

5.4 Love (Eros)

Only Eros seems to have the ultimate power to overcome the power of death, that's why the king tried

to ignore the power of Cupid punishment. The title and theme of tragedy focus and revolve around

love. Dance recites love coming "always with all winners" (A, 585-7, 590). Love to be lawful and

moral should be stamped with marriage. So Panaretos and Erophile got married, albeit secretly.

6."Erotokritos"

Now, it is time to move on the top of the creature in Cretan Renaissance, "Erotokritos". The main

themes are love, honor, friendship and courage. "Erotokritos" sets great story including true love,

friendship, courage and patriotism, and this is the reason for its later popularity all over

Greece. "Erotokritos" is the top masterpiece not only of the Cretan Renaissance, but generally of the

Modern Greek literature. A direct template for this astonishing epic poem is in the early 15th Century

a very popular chivalrous novel "Paris et Vienne" (Pierre de la Cypede in French) and the epic poem

"Orlando Furioso" by Ariosto (1532)21

and the verses of Quintus Smyrnaeus. However, Erotokritos is

not just a simple copy, but a creative variation with improved internal structure, and as compared to

the original French, it has a solid structure and fewer reps. Vitsentzos Kornaros knew the French

plant apparently as an Italian translation, because it seems very unlikely that he was fluent in French.

Ioulios Tipaldos22

writes (1880) that Erotokritos holds the first place in our modern literature and how

it can be compared with the greatest poems of foreign writers, and Palamas23

exclaims (1906):

"Shame in the nation that still did not understand, after five centuries of walking, that the poem

Erotokritos is the greatest Greek national and immortal poem". In this project the elements of Greek

folk tradition are distinguished by combining elements of ancient Greek mythology with the elements

of popular culture of the era.

The plot of the play takes place, in the words of the poet, in Athens of pre-Christian times. But this

installation is completely conventional because, when someone reads the work, does not recognize

any aspects of historical Athens. Although there is a real geographical context, the historic

designation is foggy, and the names of persons encountered in the project, with few exceptions, are

true Greek names, but unknown, created by the poet himself. It is obvious that the poet did not care

to represent a particular historical period, but to create an ideal Greek world. Consequently, all these

21

Holton David(2006) 22

Typaldos Ioulios(1880) 23

Palamas Kostis(1906:2)


9

sorts of anachronisms that take place in the project are construed, rather than representing any

historical and geographical knowledge on the side of the poet.

The synopsis is as follows: Erotokritos, the Pezostrato’s son, advisor of King Hercules in Athens,

falls in love with the daughter of the king, Aretusa. But seeing how absurd is this feeling, a mere

mortal to fall in love with a princess, he tries to forget her.

"Erotokritos" is basically an erotic poem. Even the epic parts, where their excesses are moving more

in the space of a fairy tale and frontier epics, have a strong sense of eroticism. The men nobles that

we see in "giostra" (joust, or giostra was originally a military equestrian sport fighting, which

included fights with flagpoles against upcoming by riders who usually bring armor), fighting for a

female heart. However, Rotokritos fights only for the heart of Aretousa. When Vlachs are coming to

hit Athens, he only thinks about her beloved, Aretousa, and not about his country or his parents.

Aretousa, in giostra, trembles her heart for Erotokritos, and in order to risk the hero, she wishes her

lover to be the loser of the draw. Every reader can easily explore that the erotic wind blowing in the

story is clearly much stronger than heroic.

Now by passing on one more innermost search in verse of "Erotokritos" says Seferis24

that there is a

hidden sensuality, a sense of touch not localized to any specific verse. Moreover, this sensuality is

made even more intense, as counterpoint laced with a climate of erotic deprivation that dominates the

plot of the whole project. The heroes have to deal with external pressures, not to be victims of love,

and their internal inhibitions, mainly of Aretousa’s. The same happens in "The Sacrifice of Abraham"

where the divine command changes things overturning situations or in "Erophile" where the royal

decree shall separate both protagonists and forces them to resist their feelings but eventually the love

wins in the end. Similarly, here the heroes are motivated by external factors to do the opposite of

what they wish but eventually Fete and Luck, the two great forces of nature governing the

masterpieces which are analyzed here, bring the heroes in front of a prescribed resolution of this

unequal struggle that they realized.

But despite the sensuality, the so intense though so diffuse, love has the dominant position in this

work, which is challenged by a bunch of external restrictions and internal inhibitions. The heroes

never blame society for the contracts, but they accept all the conventions and feeling integrated in

society. Initially, they attempt to subdue the rules of suppressing their feelings but when these flare

up, instead of blaming each other, they are trying to overcome the obstacles. It's like to say - you are

right, but we love each other-.

The project also exudes a feminine sensibility. Seferis says that protagonist is Aretousa, and not

Erotokritos. All kinds of sensitivities, and more erotic sensitivities, are a privilege (or curse) of

women. That is why the poet expresses more effortlessly erotic feelings through the mouth of

Aretousa. Here there is another one similarity with "The sacrifice of Abraham", which still main

figure is a woman.

24

Seferis, G(1981)


10

Gareth Morgan25

is talking about how they are working on the popular variants of sophisticated

projects. Conditionally, he says, that if someone wants to develop a variant of a popular artistic work,

then it has to contain popular topics, which are already in the folk repertoire. The Erophile contains

many such issues as the persecuted lovers, prophetic dream, and the suicide of the heroine. In these

matters the popular arranger adds others, such as abuse of the princess of her king father, two

children who grow up together and one day a mysterious old man tells them that are not siblings, and

as a result they fall in love with each other. With the expansion of issues disorganization of poetry

occurs, as the interest is concentrated on the plot and not in verse. So the lyrics are disconnected, and

the more complicated are eliminated or simplified, added to others. Finally, there is the integrative

approach (integration of approach), whereby is selected a center of interest, and based on this the

story is synthesized. As such the focus Erophile has the scene when the princess exposes the bushel,

which contains members of her beloved.

The central themes is the love between two people, Erotokritos (which only refers to the work as

Rotokritos or Rokritos) and Aretousa, and revolve around this and other issues such as price,

friendship, bravery and courage. Along with Erophile of George Chortatsis are the major works of

Cretan literature. Erotokritos passed into folklore and remains a popular classic literary epic poem.

On the other hand, the relationship between "Erotokritos" and Western European Literature is

fundamental. Scholars have suggested Italian works which were served as sources of Vitsentzos

Kornaros. The study of "common poetic places" in Erotokritos and the systematic exploration of his

relationship with petrarchism lead to the conclusion that Vitsentzos Kornaros had a considerable

familiarity with the petrarchism poetry. We have already analyzed that the Petrarchism influences the

first work "Shepherdess". Moreover, a further common poetic place among the projects which are

analyzed in this paper is undoubtedly the common selected stage and place according to the scholars

in mainly pastoral episodes such as the incident with Haridimos in Erotokritos in the scene of joust

which is described by Persio (1594) according to Holton26

and the stage where "Shepherdess" is

played. Many elements contribute to the theory that the Cretan Mount Ida, a place where shepherds

mainly live and so their daily life and their sexual passion are masterfully described. This is a

significant difference with the original works of Cretan poets with the transformation from the

mythical and remote Arcadia of Italy in Cretan Mount Ida. Consequently, the detection of the Italian

general background of the project has opened new avenues for a deeper understanding of the poem.

On the other hand, the issue of recruitment of the earliest Greek literature from the Vitsentzos

Kornaros is not exhausted. An examination of the relationship with the Greek tradition has

increasingly turned to find texts that can serve as sources of development rather than to the

systematic comparison with the poetic and narrative conventions of Greek medieval poetry27

.

The information we have on the circulation of vernacular fiction in Venetian Crete is limited. But if

missing the external information on whether Vitsentzos Kornaros was able to know works of Greek

literature of the past, then there are internal indications in the works leading to interesting questions.

25

Morgan Gareth(1957: 203-270, 379-434) 26 Holton David(2006:124) 27

Lentari, T(2000:22-23)


11

Some examples can be summarized here28

. The iconography of love is accompanied by a multitude

of transport describing the erotic feelings, which are common poetic places. The theme of the

omnipotence of love is a widespread motif in ancient Greek literature, too. The insidiousness of love

is also a stereotype. The transformations of the god show variety and originality. One of the

characteristic transportation describing the gradual increase of the erotic emotion is the image of the

tree root in the heart. Interestingly, the correlation name or Erotokritos Rokritos is referred to the

adjective erotoakatakritos = one who has not been, not tortured by love. Erotokritos is the unique

work of Cretan literature belonging to the kind of erotic fiction29

.

To sum up, in "Erotokritos" a common sense or a widely accepted truth are being expressed: that

virtue, knowledge and courtesy are goods that cannot be destroyed by time, unlike the kingdoms,

power, fortune come and go. In other words it underlines the volatility of wealth and power, and

virtue, knowledge and courtesy are presented as timeless values. Further, the wheel of fortune which

sometimes brings sorrows and joys sometimes can never eliminate the value of knowledge and

virtue. In essence, we should assert that the condemnation of power is less intense here than it is in

"Erophile", though both of the works are characterized by the universal request of the Renaissance

for greater freedom to the erotic life and overcoming any gender or class differences.

6.1 Common themes and differences with the Hellenistic novel, the Byzantine novel and the

chivalric novels

The ancient Greek novel bears the morphological characteristics of prose and extensive narrative and

its content carries the characteristics of plausibility. The main feature is the love and adventure with

narrative stereotypes shape a thunderstruck love of two beautiful aristocratic youth wandering the

risks posed by it, the apparent death and "resurrection" of the protagonists, tests and reunification

with a happy ending. And the role of the narrator is identified with that of the omniscient which

interferes with the flow of the case30

.

In this literary text, fate and luck found both as in ancient novels as in all other creations of Cretan

Renaissance Literature , including all the works that this paper tries to analyze, are presented as

Circle and Wheel. The couple is not attached to the project as it happens in the Hellenistic novels

wander before one of the two lovers, as there are elements and "resurrection" as the ancient species.

Erotokritos traveled to Egripos (Evvoia) to expel the love he felt for virtue, even when she had

expressed her love. The king banished Erotokritos to separate the two lovers, after secretly

exchanging rings with virtue, where she eventually was imprisoned by her father. The war, the

common feature of the novels, which erupted between Athens and Vlachs, gave Erotokritos the

opportunity to prove his heroism, and to save the life of the king leading the pair of lovers to have a

happy ending31

.

Further, Vitsentzos Kornaros transforms the god Eros variously compared with the earlier Byzantine

type, i.e. Eros as a chef or a spider (I, 265-6). In Byzantine novel, however, the 12th century, as

28

John, Tr., Danezis, G., Katsaros, B., Mouseidou, C., Petta, M.(2001) 29

Athini, S., Daniil, C., Stavrakopoulou, Σ.(2005) 30

Wim F. Bakker- Arnold F. van Gemert(1996) 31

Vitti, M.(1960:173-200)


12

Erotokritos answered already elements of erotic flame of fire and ice, which are elements of

petrarchism32

.

Additionally, the vernacular novels bear the new element of folk narratives, the fairy tale element, as

well as municipal and love songs33

.The folk myths include the common pattern separation of both

new and their adventures in a vague geographical context, in an idealized fairy world34

The issues

identified in Erotokritos consistent with the instability of human affairs, and the changes of Fortune

and Time, with love, war, social discrimination and exile. Vivid storyteller elements of knightly

novels are found, while the ideological outcome of the project includes the personal qualities, which

are more important for the happiness of man from accidental35

.

6.2 Epilogue

"Erotokritos" brings common themes and motives in the literary genre of the erotic novel from the

Hellenistic period up to the chivalric novels. The love at first sight, the adventure, wandering, tests,

and war reunion with a happy ending, fate, luck and "omniscient" poet are elements of Hellenistic

novel, while occurring on Erotokritos. There exists, however, the "resurrection", while Erotokritos

wandered once before already he was united with virtue. Erotokritos bear similarities with the

Byzantine novel of erotic flame and coupling opposites like fire and water, and differ from the

Byzantine species when originals personifies love in different ways. Finally, as in chivalric

romances, like Eros as a tree root in the heart and brings the elements of the separation of wanderlust

and adventure.

7. Conclusion

The literary production of Crete during the Venetian rich qualitative and quantitative was highly

significant for the future of Modern Greek Literature. The literary works of the Cretan Renaissance

are obviously influenced directly by the literary Art of Italian Renaissance36

. Nevertheless Cretan

works are for Fauriel also "monuments"37

of Greek language, Greek character and generally Greek

national identity38

. All these works that we tried to analyze have common themes and motives and

each literary genre of the Cretan Literature is influenced from the Hellenistic period up to the

chivalric novels. All projects bear similarities around a thematic term which relates to the particular

character of Cretan life and philosophy. The maternal love in "The Sacrifice of Abraham", the erotic

desire and longing of two beloveds, the vigor and the majesty of soul within fate and luck that weave

the appropriate environment and move on the lives of heroes without the latter’s stay spineless are

some of the main issues which I tied to approach and I believe that the results of this analysis will

help to promote and initiate our search for greater thought in the field of literature, which it will

always be a sector that always gives birth to something supra.

32



P.D.Mastrodimitri(2001) 35

P.D.Mastrodimitri(2005) 36



Lentari, T.(2000)


13

8. Acknowledgements

I would like to express my deep gratitude to Vassilios Sabatakakis, for his warm welcome, the

enthusiastic encouragement, as well as for his advice and assistance in keeping my progress on

schedule.

I would also like to extend my thanks to my friends who offered me support and friendly comfort.

Finally, I wish to thank my parents for their support and encouragement throughout my studies.


14

9. Bibliography

1. Athini, S., Daniil, C., Stavrakopoulou, Σ. 2005. Νεοελληνική Φιλολογία από τις απαρχές ως το 18ο

αιώνα. Εγχειρίδιο Μελέτης. Όψεις της Νεοελληνικής Γραμματείας (από τις απαρχές ως την ίδρυση

του ελληνικού κράτους). Πάτρα: Ελληνικό Ανοικτό Πανεπιστήμιο.

2. Alexiou Stylianos, Κρητική Ανθολογία (ΙΕ-ΙΖ αιώνας). Εισαγωγή, Ανθολόγηση και Σημειώματα.

Ηράκλειον Κρήτης: Εταιρία Κρητικών Ιστορικών Μελετών, 1969.

3. Alexiou Stylianos, 2000. Ερωτόκριτος του Βιτσέντζου Κορνάρου. Κριτική Έκδοση, Εισαγωγή,

Σημειώσεις, Γλωσσάριο. Αθήνα: Ερμής.

4. Claude Fauriel, Τα ελληνικά δημοτικά τραγούδια. Α΄ Η έκδοση του 1824,επιμ. Αλέξης Πολίτης,

Ηράκλειο 2000.

5. Babbys Dermitzakis, Η λαϊκότητα της Κρητικής Λογοτεχνίας, Athens 1990, Dorikos.

6. Holton David, Μελέτες για τον Ερωτόκριτο και άλλα νεοελληνικά κείμενα, Καστανιώτης, Αθήνα

2000.

7. Holton David, Λογοτεχνία και Κοινωνία στην Κρήτη της Αναγέννησης, μτφρ. Ναταλία

Δεληγιαννάκη, Πανεπιστημιακές Εκδόσεις Κρήτης, Ηράκλειο 2006.

8. John Tr., Danezis G., Katsaros B., Mouseidou C., Petta M. 2001. Γράμματα Ι: Αρχαία Ελληνική και

Βυζαντινή Φιλολογία. Βυζαντινή Περίοδος. τ. Γ΄. Πάτρα: Ελληνικό Ανοικτό Πανεπιστήμιο.

9. Kapsomenos E., «Η δομή της αφήγησης στον Ερωτόκριτο», Κώδικες και σημασίες, εκδ. Αρσενίδη,

Αθήνα 1990.

10. K.Th. Dimaras, Ιστορία Νεοελληνικής Λογοτεχνίας, εκδόσεις Ίκαρος.

11. K.Th. Dimaras, «Η Βοσκοπούλα», Σύμμικτα Α. Από την παιδεία στην λογοτεχνία, επιμ. Αλέξης

Πολίτης, Αθήνα 2000.

12. Lentari, T. Οι «πρόγονοι» του Ερωτόκριτου. Στο Ερωτόκριτος, ο ποιητής και η εποχή του,Αφιέρωμα.

Η Καθημερινή, Επτά Ημέρες 2000.

13. Michael Herzfeld, Πάλι δικά μας. Λαογραφία, ιδεολογία και η διαμόρφωση της σύγχρονης Ελλάδας,

μτφρ. Μαρίνος Σαρηγιάννης, Αθήνα 2002.

14. Morgan Gareth: Cretan poetry: Sources and inspirations. ΙΔ 7-08, University of Oxford, 1957 -

Crete (Greece).

15. Palamas Kostis, «Σούτσος και Κορνάρος», Ο Νουμάς τχ. 195 (23 Απριλίου 1906).

16. P.D.Mastrodimitris, Εισαγωγή στη νεοελληνική φιλολογία, εκδ.Δόμος, Αθήνα 2005.

17. P.D.Mastrodimitris, Η ποίηση του Νέου Ελληνισμού, Ίδρυμα Γουλανδρή-Χορν, Αθήνα 2001.

18. Politis Linos, Η Ιστορία της Νέας Ελληνικής Λογοτεχνίας, Αθήνα 1978.

19 Politis Linos, "Παρατηρήσεις σε κρητικά κείμενα", Κρητικά Χρονικά 12: 300-320, 1958.

20. Rosemary Bancroft – Marcus, «Ποιμενικό δράμα και ειδύλλιο», Λογοτεχνία και κοινωνία στην

Κρήτη της Αναγέννησης, επιμ. David Holton, μτφρ. Ναταλία Δεληγιαννάκη, Ηράκλειο 2006.

21. Seferis, G. (1981), Δοκιμές. Πρώτος τόμος (1936-1947), δ΄ έκδ. (Αθήνα).

22. Solomos Alexis, Το Κρητικό θέατρο, εκδόσεις Πλειάς.


15

23. "Typaldos Ioulios", Πανδώρα 10, (1880).

24. Vertoudakis, B., Iliadou, E., Lentakis, B., Manakidou, F., Tsakmakis, E., Tsitsiridis, St.,

Fyntikoglou, V., Christopoulos, Μ. 2001. Γράμματα Ι: Αρχαία Ελληνική και Βυζαντινή Φιλολογία.

Ελληνιστική και Αυτοκρατορική Περίοδος. τ. Β΄. Πάτρα: Ελληνικό Ανοικτό Πανεπιστήμιο.

25. Wim F. Bakker- Arnold F. van Gemert, «Εισαγωγή στο: Η θυσία του Αβραάμ» Κριτική έκδοση,

Πανεπιστημιακές Εκδόσεις Κρήτης, Ηράκλειο 1996.

26. Vitti, M. "Il poema parenetico di Sachlikis nella tradizione inedita del.cod.Napoletano", Κρητικά

Χρονικά 14, 1960.

Date post:	20-Jan-2016
Category:	Documents
Upload:	georgestampoul
View:	35 times
Download:	0 times

Cretan Renaissance(1590-1669) - Common Themes and Project Templates

Documents