Gustav Suits
Encyclopedia
Gustav Suits is considered one of the greatest Estonia
n poets. He was also an early leader of the literary movement group Noor-Eesti (Young Estonia
).
In 1895, Suits moved to Tartu
, Estonia
to study at the Alexander Gymnasium. Suits so enjoyed this bustling university town and its intellectual centers that he became determined to become a part of its literary society. By the time he was 16 years old, the newspaper Uus Aeg (New Time) published his first critical essay. In 1899, the newspaper published his first poem, Water Lilies.
and French
languages. In the same year, he founded the literary society "Friends of Literature" (Kirjanduse Sõbrad), a group that included Anton Hansen Tammsaare
, who was to become Estonia's greatest novelist. The society published a journal called "Rays" (Kiired).
Between 1905 and 1916, Suits was closely connected to the Estonian
literary movement group known as Noor-Eesti, or Young Estonia
. In these years, Noor Eesti became publicly active, bringing Europe
an influence into Estonian literature and influencing European literature with Estonian styles.
In 1921, Suits became the first person to teach literature in Estonian at a post-secondary school level. Until he left the post in 1944, he published a multitude of research essays focusing on Estonian literature. Suits founded the Estonian Academic Literary Society in 1924.
In 1941, Suits experienced the loss of his home. It, along with hundreds of manuscripts, burned to the ground.
In 1944, Suits and approximately 70,000 other Estonians fled the Soviet-occupied Estonia. He and his family lived in Stockholm, Sweden
, where Suits wrote most of his poetry and many of his research papers.
. His early poetry reflects the revolution
brewing in Estonia between 1900 and 1917 and the youth movement. His poems contain militant, romantic and disappointed tones after the revolution. Suits uses symbolism
, metaphor
s and allusion
s frequently.
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...
n poets. He was also an early leader of the literary movement group Noor-Eesti (Young Estonia
Young Estonia
Young Estonia was a neo-romantic literary group established around 1905 and led by the poet Gustav Suits and short story writer Friedebert Tuglas. Other members of the group included Villem Grünthal-Ridala and Johannes Aavik. Gustav Suits articulated the ideology of the group thus:"What buoys up...
).
Childhood and Education
Suits was born in the village of Võnnu to a teacher.In 1895, Suits moved 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...
, Estonia
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...
to study at the Alexander Gymnasium. Suits so enjoyed this bustling university town and its intellectual centers that he became determined to become a part of its literary society. By the time he was 16 years old, the newspaper Uus Aeg (New Time) published his first critical essay. In 1899, the newspaper published his first poem, Water Lilies.
Literary career
In 1901, Suits began spending his summers tutoring in the GermanGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
languages. In the same year, he founded the literary society "Friends of Literature" (Kirjanduse Sõbrad), a group that included Anton Hansen Tammsaare
Anton Hansen Tammsaare
Anton Hansen Tammsaare , born Anton Hansen, was an Estonian writer whose pentalogy Truth and Justice is considered one of the major works of Estonian literature and "The Estonian Novel"....
, who was to become Estonia's greatest novelist. The society published a journal called "Rays" (Kiired).
Between 1905 and 1916, Suits was closely connected to the Estonian
Estonian language
Estonian is the official language of Estonia, spoken by about 1.1 million people in Estonia and tens of thousands in various émigré communities...
literary movement group known as Noor-Eesti, or Young Estonia
Young Estonia
Young Estonia was a neo-romantic literary group established around 1905 and led by the poet Gustav Suits and short story writer Friedebert Tuglas. Other members of the group included Villem Grünthal-Ridala and Johannes Aavik. Gustav Suits articulated the ideology of the group thus:"What buoys up...
. In these years, Noor Eesti became publicly active, bringing Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an influence into Estonian literature and influencing European literature with Estonian styles.
In 1921, Suits became the first person to teach literature in Estonian at a post-secondary school level. Until he left the post in 1944, he published a multitude of research essays focusing on Estonian literature. Suits founded the Estonian Academic Literary Society in 1924.
In 1941, Suits experienced the loss of his home. It, along with hundreds of manuscripts, burned to the ground.
In 1944, Suits and approximately 70,000 other Estonians fled the Soviet-occupied Estonia. He and his family lived in Stockholm, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, where Suits wrote most of his poetry and many of his research papers.
Themes and Style
Suits' poetry combines extremely personal and very general elements. Frequently, it addresses Estonian history and the fate of humanityHuman Race
Human Race refers to the Human species.Human race may also refer to:*The Human Race, 79th episode of YuYu Hakusho* Human Race Theatre Company of Dayton Ohio* Human Race Machine, a computer graphics device...
. His early poetry reflects the revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
brewing in Estonia between 1900 and 1917 and the youth movement. His poems contain militant, romantic and disappointed tones after the revolution. Suits uses symbolism
Symbolism (arts)
Symbolism was a late nineteenth-century art movement of French, Russian and Belgian origin in poetry and other arts. In literature, the style had its beginnings with the publication Les Fleurs du mal by Charles Baudelaire...
, metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
s and allusion
Allusion
An allusion is a figure of speech that makes a reference to, or representation of, people, places, events, literary work, myths, or works of art, either directly or by implication. M. H...
s frequently.
Selected Works
- The Fire of Life
- The Land of Winds (Tuulemaa)
- All is But a Dream
- Fire and Wind