Mats Traat
Encyclopedia
Mats Traat is a prolific Estonian
poet
and author
.
. However, unlike Kross
, who writes about individuals influenced from beyond Estonia
n culture, Traat writes about the indigenous Estonian population
. His central topics are the changes and the developments of Estonian rural life in the course of centuries, with an emphasis on people's ethical choices. In Trees Were, Trees Were Tender Brothers (1979), a young protagonist has to wage a struggle to keep a farm running, something he never desired to do. Pasqueflower, Antidote for Sadness (1982/uncensored version 1990) covers on the one hand the fate of ancient Livonian
s, conquered and formally aligning with the Christian invaders, yet maintaining pagan convictions, on the other hand the problems of rural life during the stagnation era
Estonian SSR, a topic which is related to the theme of personal problems of a writer, who is actually writing a books on the aforementioned Livonian topics. Dance around the Steam Boiler (1971; originally a film scenario, that was finally accomplished in 1988) illustrates with five 'dances' with the steam boiler the changes of rural life in half a century. In the move, filmed during the perestroika
era, a sixth 'dance' has been added, showing the old age of main characters on the background of the typical rural scenes of 1980s: industrial and technological developments combined with a reckless destruction of the environment.
Traat debuted in 1962 with a collection of poetry
. He has published over 20 anthologies of poetry
to date. His poetry
frequently deals with social commentary and society's adoration for science. His lyrics praise nature and his native country
. He has also translated poetry from Slavic languages
(Polish, Macedonian, Czech).
Traat's short stories are also famous. The Cross of Power won the Friedebert Tuglas
Award for Short Prose.
Estonians
Estonians are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns and inhabiting, primarily, the country of Estonia. They speak a Finnic language known as Estonian...
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 author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
.
Literature
Traat is frequently compared to Jaan KrossJaan Kross
-Early life:Born in Tallinn, Estonia, studied Jacob Westholm´s Grammar school, Kross attended the University of Tartu and graduated from its School of Law...
. However, unlike Kross
Jaan Kross
-Early life:Born in Tallinn, Estonia, studied Jacob Westholm´s Grammar school, Kross attended the University of Tartu and graduated from its School of Law...
, who writes about individuals influenced from beyond 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...
n culture, Traat writes about the indigenous Estonian population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
. His central topics are the changes and the developments of Estonian rural life in the course of centuries, with an emphasis on people's ethical choices. In Trees Were, Trees Were Tender Brothers (1979), a young protagonist has to wage a struggle to keep a farm running, something he never desired to do. Pasqueflower, Antidote for Sadness (1982/uncensored version 1990) covers on the one hand the fate of ancient Livonian
Livonian
Livonian can refer to one of the following.*Livonian people*Livonian language*Anything else pertaining to Livonia...
s, conquered and formally aligning with the Christian invaders, yet maintaining pagan convictions, on the other hand the problems of rural life during the stagnation era
Brezhnev stagnation
The Era of Stagnation, also known as Brezhnev stagnation or the Stagnation Period, refers to a period of economic stagnation under the rules of Leonid Brezhnev, Yuri Andropov and Konstantin Chernenko in the history of the Soviet Union which started in the mid-1970s.-Terminology:Various authors...
Estonian SSR, a topic which is related to the theme of personal problems of a writer, who is actually writing a books on the aforementioned Livonian topics. Dance around the Steam Boiler (1971; originally a film scenario, that was finally accomplished in 1988) illustrates with five 'dances' with the steam boiler the changes of rural life in half a century. In the move, filmed during the perestroika
Perestroika
Perestroika was a political movement within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during 1980s, widely associated with the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev...
era, a sixth 'dance' has been added, showing the old age of main characters on the background of the typical rural scenes of 1980s: industrial and technological developments combined with a reckless destruction of the environment.
Traat debuted in 1962 with a collection of 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...
. He has published over 20 anthologies of 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...
to date. His 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...
frequently deals with social commentary and society's adoration for science. His lyrics praise nature and his native 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...
. He has also translated poetry from Slavic languages
Slavic languages
The Slavic languages , a group of closely related languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages, have speakers in most of Eastern Europe, in much of the Balkans, in parts of Central Europe, and in the northern part of Asia.-Branches:Scholars traditionally divide Slavic...
(Polish, Macedonian, Czech).
Traat's short stories are also famous. The Cross of Power won the Friedebert Tuglas
Friedebert 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...
Award for Short Prose.