Gerrit Achterberg
Encyclopedia
Gerrit Achterberg was a Dutch
poet
. His early poetry concerned a desire to be united with a beloved in death.
Achterberg was born in Nederlangbroek in the Netherlands as the third son of a family of nine children. He was raised as a Protestant within the Calvinist
tradition. His father was a coach man until the automobile
gained popularity. Achterberg was a very good student, and in 1924 he embarked on his career as a teacher. In the same year, he made his literary debut together with Arie Dekkers, who had encouraged him to write. Together they published "De Zangen van Twee Twintigers."
In 1959 Achterberg received the Constantijn Huygens Prize
for his entire body of works.
Meanwhile, Achterberg became more withdrawn and introverted. After he was turned down by the military due to "sickness of the soul", he threatened to kill himself. This effectively ended his engagement.
Achterberg's literary career really started to take off when Roel Houwink presented himself as his mentor. Achterberg published his collection "Afvaart" in 1931, in which his famous theme, that of a love irrevocably lost, was already strongly present. After the publication of "Afvaart", Achterberg suffered a mental breakdown, and was committed to a psychiatric institution several times. His mental instability led him to have occasional violent outbursts.
These eruptions of violence escalated in 1937. At that time, Achterberg was living in Utrecht
and was engaged once again. Despite his engagement, however, he fell in love with his landlady, Roel van Es. On December 15, 1937, he tried to force himself on Van Es' daughter Bep. When Van Es tried to stop him he shot her, and wounded her daughter. After the shooting he turned himself in at the police station, after which he was sentenced to involuntary commitment
. He was committed until 1943, after which he returned to society. His involuntary commitment and the period that followed did not render him inactive, however. Between 1939 and 1953 he published 22 collections of poetry.
In 1946 he married his childhood friend Cathrien van Baak, with whom he lived in Leusden
until he died from a heart attack in 1962.
Achterberg's most famous work is the sonnet sequence Ballade van de gasfitter (1953; English translations: A Tourist Does Golgotha and Ballad of the gasfitter). J.M. Coetzee
made a translation of the sequence Ballad of the Gasfitter and included it in his bilingual (Dutch-English) anthology of Dutch poetry Landscape with Rowers (2004). Coetzee also wrote an earlier essay on the sequence Ballad of the gasfitter, under the title: 'Achterberg's "Ballade van de gasfitter": The Mystery of I and You' (1977).
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
. His early poetry concerned a desire to be united with a beloved in death.
Achterberg was born in Nederlangbroek in the Netherlands as the third son of a family of nine children. He was raised as a Protestant within the Calvinist
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
tradition. His father was a coach man until the automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
gained popularity. Achterberg was a very good student, and in 1924 he embarked on his career as a teacher. In the same year, he made his literary debut together with Arie Dekkers, who had encouraged him to write. Together they published "De Zangen van Twee Twintigers."
In 1959 Achterberg received the Constantijn Huygens Prize
Constantijn Huygens Prize
The Constantijn Huygens Prize is a Dutch literary award.-History:Since 1947, it has been awarded each year for an author's complete works by the Jan Campert Foundation , a foundation named in honor of the Dutch writer Jan Campert who died while helping Jews during WWII...
for his entire body of works.
Meanwhile, Achterberg became more withdrawn and introverted. After he was turned down by the military due to "sickness of the soul", he threatened to kill himself. This effectively ended his engagement.
Achterberg's literary career really started to take off when Roel Houwink presented himself as his mentor. Achterberg published his collection "Afvaart" in 1931, in which his famous theme, that of a love irrevocably lost, was already strongly present. After the publication of "Afvaart", Achterberg suffered a mental breakdown, and was committed to a psychiatric institution several times. His mental instability led him to have occasional violent outbursts.
These eruptions of violence escalated in 1937. At that time, Achterberg was living in Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
and was engaged once again. Despite his engagement, however, he fell in love with his landlady, Roel van Es. On December 15, 1937, he tried to force himself on Van Es' daughter Bep. When Van Es tried to stop him he shot her, and wounded her daughter. After the shooting he turned himself in at the police station, after which he was sentenced to involuntary commitment
Involuntary commitment
Involuntary commitment or civil commitment is a legal process through which an individual with symptoms of severe mental illness is court-ordered into treatment in a hospital or in the community ....
. He was committed until 1943, after which he returned to society. His involuntary commitment and the period that followed did not render him inactive, however. Between 1939 and 1953 he published 22 collections of poetry.
In 1946 he married his childhood friend Cathrien van Baak, with whom he lived in Leusden
Leusden
Leusden is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. It is located about 3 kilometres southeast of Amersfoort....
until he died from a heart attack in 1962.
Achterberg's most famous work is the sonnet sequence Ballade van de gasfitter (1953; English translations: A Tourist Does Golgotha and Ballad of the gasfitter). J.M. Coetzee
John Maxwell Coetzee
John Maxwell Coetzee ; is an author and academic from South Africa. He is now an Australian citizen and lives in Adelaide, South Australia...
made a translation of the sequence Ballad of the Gasfitter and included it in his bilingual (Dutch-English) anthology of Dutch poetry Landscape with Rowers (2004). Coetzee also wrote an earlier essay on the sequence Ballad of the gasfitter, under the title: 'Achterberg's "Ballade van de gasfitter": The Mystery of I and You' (1977).
External links
- Dutch Royal Library - Detailed Biography and Bibliography in Dutch
- File Gerrit Achterberg in the Digital Library of Dutch Literature (DBNL) (including bibliography, primary and secondary texts)
See also
- Margriet EhlenMargriet EhlenMargriet Ehlen is a Dutch poet and a composer, conductor and educator of classical music.-Life and career:She has composed for a large variety of instruments, yet is particularly active in composition for voice. These works extend from solo vocalists to choir music. Many of her compositions for...
- Dutch composer who has set to music some of Achterberg's poetry