Juhan Liiv
Encyclopedia
Juhan Liiv is one of Estonia
's most famous poets.
. Despite their poverty
, Liiv's parents sent him to Tartu
to study journalism. Physical illness forced Liiv to leave school and return home, where he wrote poetry and occasional columns for the Olevik newspaper. His poetry starkly contrasted that of his contemporaries, and was therefore largely ignored.
and poetry
. Many readers draw a comparison between Liiv and the main character of the story, Villu, who is physically weak but strong in mind.
Liiv continued to write several more short stories, but none are as famous as Vari.
. He variably thought he was the son of Czar Alexander II
, the king of Poland
etc. His struggles with mental illness continued until his death.
met with Liiv. A book containing 495 poems by Liiv was published late that year.
Many of Liiv's poems are dominated by a sense of gloom, probably brought on by his mental illness
es, poverty
and lack of human friendship
s. The few poems with a less ominous tone describe nature and Liiv's adoration for his country
.
His poems include:
.
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
's most famous poets.
Childhood and education
Liiv was born into an extremely poor family in the village of Alatskivi, EstoniaEstonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
. Despite their poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
, Liiv's parents sent him to Tartu
Tartu
Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia. In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the intellectual and cultural hub, especially since it is home to Estonia's oldest and most renowned university. Situated 186 km southeast of Tallinn, the...
to study journalism. Physical illness forced Liiv to leave school and return home, where he wrote poetry and occasional columns for the Olevik newspaper. His poetry starkly contrasted that of his contemporaries, and was therefore largely ignored.
Short stories
Liiv finally achieved success in 1894 when his first short story, Vari (The Shadow), was published. It was dark and gloomy, foreshadowing his future works of both proseProse
Prose is the most typical form of written language, applying ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure...
and poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
. Many readers draw a comparison between Liiv and the main character of the story, Villu, who is physically weak but strong in mind.
Liiv continued to write several more short stories, but none are as famous as Vari.
Mental illness
Shortly after Vari was released, Liiv became a patient in a psychiatric clinic in Tartu. Liiv was diagnosed with SchizophreniaSchizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
. He variably thought he was the son of Czar Alexander II
Alexander II of Russia
Alexander II , also known as Alexander the Liberator was the Emperor of the Russian Empire from 3 March 1855 until his assassination in 1881...
, the king of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
etc. His struggles with mental illness continued until his death.
Poetry
In 1909, Friedebert TuglasFriedebert Tuglas
Friedebert Tuglas was an Estonian writer and critic who introduced Impressionism and Symbolism to Estonian literature. Persecuted under the czar, he became an acknowledged representative of Estonian literature in the Soviet era.-Biography:The son of a carpenter, Tuglas studied at the Hugo Treffner...
met with Liiv. A book containing 495 poems by Liiv was published late that year.
Many of Liiv's poems are dominated by a sense of gloom, probably brought on by his mental illness
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
es, poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
and lack of human friendship
Friendship
Friendship is a form of interpersonal relationship generally considered to be closer than association, although there is a range of degrees of intimacy in both friendships and associations. Friendship and association are often thought of as spanning across the same continuum...
s. The few poems with a less ominous tone describe nature and Liiv's adoration for his country
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
.
His poems include:
- The Axe and the Forest
- Who Does Not Remember the Past (is Living Without the Future)
- To The Poets
- I Saw EstoniaEstoniaEstonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
Yesterday - Come Now, Night Darkness
- Cold
- Snowflake
Death
On 1 December 1913, Liiv was found aboard a train without a ticket because he could not afford one. He was thrown off into a deserted area and walked home. By the time he arrived, however, he had been in freezing temperatures for two weeks and had contracted a fatal case of pneumoniaPneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
.