Islwyn Ffowc Elis
Encyclopedia
Islwyn Ffowc Elis (ˈɪslʊɨn foʊk ˈɛlɪs; 17 November 1924 - 22 January 2004) was one of Wales
's most popular Welsh-language writers.
Born Islwyn Ffoulkes Ellis in Wrexham
, Elis was educated at the University of Wales
colleges of Bangor and Aberystwyth
. During World War II
he was a conscientious objector
and he began writing poetry and prose, winning the crown at the 1947 National Eisteddfod. He became a Presbyterian minister in 1950, and his first pastorate was at Moreia Chapel in Llanfair Caereinion
. He made his debut as a novelist in 1953 with Cysgod y Cryman (translated into English
as Shadow of the Sickle), which would, in 1999, be chosen as the most significant Welsh language
book of the 20th century.
As a novelist Elis showed a great willingness to try out different forms, including popular ones. Cysgod y Cryman was followed by a study of intellectual decadence, Ffenestri tua'r Gwyll (Windows to the Dusk 1955). Yn ôl i Leifior (1956; translated into English as Return to Lleifior) was a sequel to Cysgod y Cryman both set at the fictitious farming location Lleifior
. In 1957, the Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru
published his time-travel
story Wythnos yng Nghymru Fydd
(A Week in Future Wales), presenting an independent, utopian Wales and a dystopian "Western England" in alternative versions of 2033. Blas y Cynfyd (A Taste of Prehistory 1958) was followed by the colonial satire Tabyrddau'r Babongo (Drums of the Babongo 1961). He thus pioneered the use of genres unfamiliar to Welsh-speaking readers, provided them with a highly readable prose often set in contemporary settings, and did much to establish the position of the novel as a major genre in Welsh-language literature. For periods he set out to live off his writing, something hardly attempted before in modern Welsh.
Later works included Y Blaned Dirion (The Meek Planet 1968, another science fiction
novel), Y Gromlech yn yr Haidd (The Dolmen in the Barley, 1971) and Eira Mawr (Great Snow, 1972). He also wrote a play, pamphlets, hundreds of articles and short stories as well as editing, with Gwyn Jones, Welsh Short Stories for the Oxford University Press
(1956). His work has appeared in English, German, Italian and Irish translation. He was lecturer and reader at the University of Wales, Lampeter
between 1975 and 1988.
From his schooldays to the mid-1970s, Elis devoted a vast amount of time to politics. He ran as Plaid Cymru
's candidate in Montgomeryshire
in the 1959 and 1964 general elections and in a 1962 byelection. The so-called "Elvis Rock
" graffito
beside the A44 road in Ceredigion
was originally written with the word "Elis" by two of his supporters in the 1962 by-election, and subsequently altered to read "Elvis".
In retirement, he received a DLitt from the University of Wales
. In 1999 a biography of Elis by T Robin Chapman, published in both Welsh and in English, appeared.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
's most popular Welsh-language writers.
Born Islwyn Ffoulkes Ellis in Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
, Elis was educated at the University of Wales
University of Wales
The University of Wales was a confederal university founded in 1893. It had accredited institutions throughout Wales, and formerly accredited courses in Britain and abroad, with over 100,000 students, but in October 2011, after a number of scandals, it withdrew all accreditation, and it was...
colleges of Bangor and Aberystwyth
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth University is a university located in Aberystwyth, Wales. Aberystwyth was a founding Member Institution of the former federal University of Wales. As of late 2006, the university had over 12,000 students spread across seventeen academic departments.The university was founded in 1872 as...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he was a conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
and he began writing poetry and prose, winning the crown at the 1947 National Eisteddfod. He became a Presbyterian minister in 1950, and his first pastorate was at Moreia Chapel in Llanfair Caereinion
Llanfair Caereinion
Llanfair Caereinion is a small town in Powys, east central Wales upon the River Banwy , around 6 miles west of Welshpool....
. He made his debut as a novelist in 1953 with Cysgod y Cryman (translated into English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as Shadow of the Sickle), which would, in 1999, be chosen as the most significant Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
book of the 20th century.
As a novelist Elis showed a great willingness to try out different forms, including popular ones. Cysgod y Cryman was followed by a study of intellectual decadence, Ffenestri tua'r Gwyll (Windows to the Dusk 1955). Yn ôl i Leifior (1956; translated into English as Return to Lleifior) was a sequel to Cysgod y Cryman both set at the fictitious farming location Lleifior
Lleifior
Lleifior is the name of a fictional farm in Welsh language novels by Islwyn Ffowc Elis.The novels, both set in the 1950s, Cysgod y Cryman and Yn ol i Leifior by the Welsh language author Islwyn Ffowc Elis.The first follows the Vaughan family dynasty in post war rural Powys...
. In 1957, the Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru
' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...
published his time-travel
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
story Wythnos yng Nghymru Fydd
Wythnos yng Nghymru Fydd
Wythnos yng Nghymru Fydd is a science fiction novel in the Welsh language written by Islwyn Ffowc Elis and published by Plaid Cymru in 1957....
(A Week in Future Wales), presenting an independent, utopian Wales and a dystopian "Western England" in alternative versions of 2033. Blas y Cynfyd (A Taste of Prehistory 1958) was followed by the colonial satire Tabyrddau'r Babongo (Drums of the Babongo 1961). He thus pioneered the use of genres unfamiliar to Welsh-speaking readers, provided them with a highly readable prose often set in contemporary settings, and did much to establish the position of the novel as a major genre in Welsh-language literature. For periods he set out to live off his writing, something hardly attempted before in modern Welsh.
Later works included Y Blaned Dirion (The Meek Planet 1968, another science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel), Y Gromlech yn yr Haidd (The Dolmen in the Barley, 1971) and Eira Mawr (Great Snow, 1972). He also wrote a play, pamphlets, hundreds of articles and short stories as well as editing, with Gwyn Jones, Welsh Short Stories for the Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
(1956). His work has appeared in English, German, Italian and Irish translation. He was lecturer and reader at the University of Wales, Lampeter
University of Wales, Lampeter
University of Wales, Lampeter is a university in Lampeter, Wales. Founded in 1822 by royal charter, it is the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales and may be the third oldest in England and Wales after Oxford and Cambridge...
between 1975 and 1988.
From his schooldays to the mid-1970s, Elis devoted a vast amount of time to politics. He ran as Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru
' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...
's candidate in Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire, also known as Maldwyn is one of thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. Montgomeryshire is still used as a vice-county for wildlife recording...
in the 1959 and 1964 general elections and in a 1962 byelection. The so-called "Elvis Rock
Elvis Rock
The Elvis Rock is a rock alongside the A44 near Eisteddfa Gurig in Ceredigion, Wales. It is one of the most iconic pieces of graffiti in Wales, probably the most iconic in mid-Wales...
" graffito
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
beside the A44 road in Ceredigion
Ceredigion
Ceredigion is a county and former kingdom in mid-west Wales. As Cardiganshire , it was created in 1282, and was reconstituted as a county under that name in 1996, reverting to Ceredigion a day later...
was originally written with the word "Elis" by two of his supporters in the 1962 by-election, and subsequently altered to read "Elvis".
In retirement, he received a DLitt from the University of Wales
University of Wales
The University of Wales was a confederal university founded in 1893. It had accredited institutions throughout Wales, and formerly accredited courses in Britain and abroad, with over 100,000 students, but in October 2011, after a number of scandals, it withdrew all accreditation, and it was...
. In 1999 a biography of Elis by T Robin Chapman, published in both Welsh and in English, appeared.