Hendrik Marsman
Encyclopedia
Hendrik Marsman was a Dutch
poet and writer. He drowned while escaping to Great Britain
, when the ship he was on was torpedoed by a German submarine
.
His poetry is vitalistic
and expressionistic
, and (fear of) death, as a metaphor for defeat in life, is a recurring theme. His "Herinnering aan Holland
" (Remembrance of Holland): "Denkend aan Holland zie ik breede rivieren traag door oneindig laagland gaan," Thinking about Holland, I see broad rivers slowly moving through endless lowlands. In 2000, the Dutch people
chose this as the "Dutch Poem of the Century."
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 and writer. He drowned while escaping to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, when the ship he was on was torpedoed by a German submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
.
His poetry is vitalistic
Vitalism
Vitalism, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is#a doctrine that the functions of a living organism are due to a vital principle distinct from biochemical reactions...
and expressionistic
Expressionism
Expressionism was a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it radically for emotional effect in order to evoke moods or ideas...
, and (fear of) death, as a metaphor for defeat in life, is a recurring theme. His "Herinnering aan Holland
Herinnering aan Holland
Herinnering aan Holland is a poem written by Dutch poet Hendrik Marsman , first published in 1936. The poem describes the Dutch landscape and the Dutch struggle against the waters. It is one of the best known Dutch poems and in 2000, it was chosen 'Poem of the Century’ in the Netherlands.-External...
" (Remembrance of Holland): "Denkend aan Holland zie ik breede rivieren traag door oneindig laagland gaan," Thinking about Holland, I see broad rivers slowly moving through endless lowlands. In 2000, the Dutch people
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
chose this as the "Dutch Poem of the Century."
Awards
- 1927 - Prijs van Amsterdam (Amsterdam Award) for Paradise regained
- 1936 - Lucy B. en C.W. van der Hoogt Award for Porta Nigra