J.C. Bloem
Encyclopedia
Jakobus Cornelis Bloem (10 May 1887, Oudshoorn
– 10 August 1966, Kalenberg
) was a Dutch
poet
and essay
ist. Between 1921 and 1958 he published fourteen volumes of poetry. In 1949 he won the Constantijn Huygens
prijs, one of the country's highest literary awards, and in 1952 the P. C. Hooft Award
award for his literary oeuvre. In 1965, in rapidly declining health, he was awarded the highest Dutch-language literary award, the Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren
. Dubbed the poet of unfulfilled desire, he is hailed as one of the 100 greatest Netherlanders of the twentieth century.
In his early years, Bloem was a great admirer of the symbolist
poetry of Charles Baudelaire
; it is, however, for a relatively simple, almost naive poem that he is best remembered in the Netherlands, "Domweg Gelukkig in de Dapperstraat", "simply (or foolishly) happy in the Dapperstraat, a market street in East Amsterdam
. The poem also lent its title to a popular anthology of Dutch poetry. His legacy, beside his poetry, remains a bit controversial: he was suspected of antisemitism and of sympathizing, at least initially, with the German
Nazi government, and in a recent biography the possibility of his having been homosexual was proposed. Still, his importance to the country was reaffirmed at the fortieth anniversary of his death, a celebration of his life and work in Paasloo, where he and his wife Clara Eggink were buried.
Oudshoorn
Oudshoorn is a former village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It was located on the Oude Rijn, opposite the village of Alphen, with which it merged to form the city of Alphen aan den Rijn....
– 10 August 1966, Kalenberg
Steenwijkerland
Steenwijkerland is a municipality in the province Overijssel, in the eastern Netherlands.The municipality forms the entire northwesterly corner of the province. This area is called "the Head of Overijssel"...
) was a Dutch
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...
and essay
Essay
An essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
ist. Between 1921 and 1958 he published fourteen volumes of poetry. In 1949 he won the Constantijn Huygens
Constantijn Huygens
Constantijn Huygens , was a Dutch Golden Age poet and composer. He was secretary to two Princes of Orange: Frederick Henry and William II, and the father of the scientist Christiaan Huygens.-Biography:...
prijs, one of the country's highest literary awards, and in 1952 the P. C. Hooft Award
P. C. Hooft Award
The P.C. Hooft Award is a Dutch language literary oeuvre award, given annually. The award is alternately given for prose , essays and poetry....
award for his literary oeuvre. In 1965, in rapidly declining health, he was awarded the highest Dutch-language literary award, the Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren
Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren
The Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren is awarded every three years to an author from the Netherlands, Belgium or, since 2005, Suriname writing in Dutch...
. Dubbed the poet of unfulfilled desire, he is hailed as one of the 100 greatest Netherlanders of the twentieth century.
In his early years, Bloem was a great admirer of the symbolist
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...
poetry of Charles Baudelaire
Charles Baudelaire
Charles Baudelaire was a French poet who produced notable work as an essayist, art critic, and pioneering translator of Edgar Allan Poe. His most famous work, Les Fleurs du mal expresses the changing nature of beauty in modern, industrializing Paris during the nineteenth century...
; it is, however, for a relatively simple, almost naive poem that he is best remembered in the Netherlands, "Domweg Gelukkig in de Dapperstraat", "simply (or foolishly) happy in the Dapperstraat, a market street in East Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. The poem also lent its title to a popular anthology of Dutch poetry. His legacy, beside his poetry, remains a bit controversial: he was suspected of antisemitism and of sympathizing, at least initially, with the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Nazi government, and in a recent biography the possibility of his having been homosexual was proposed. Still, his importance to the country was reaffirmed at the fortieth anniversary of his death, a celebration of his life and work in Paasloo, where he and his wife Clara Eggink were buried.
Select bibliography
- Het verlangen. 1921.
- Media vita. 1931.
- Nederlaag. (1937.
- Sintels. 1945.
- Quiet though sad: gedichten ’s-Gravenhage, A.A.M. Stols, 1946.
- Verzamelde gedichten. ’s-Gravenhage, A. A. M. Stols, 1947.
- Verzamelde Beschouwingen. ’s-Gravenhage, A.A.M. Stol, 1950.
- Afscheid. ’s-Gravenhage: L. J. C. Boucher, 1957.
- Poëtica. Amsterdam: Athenaeum/Polak & Van Gennep, 1969.
- Ongewild archief. ’s-Gravenhage: BZZTôH, 1977. ISBN 9062910092.