Andreas Karavis
Encyclopedia
Andreas Karavis is a non-existent Greek
poet
created by Canadian
poet David Solway
.
On October 1999, Books in Canada published an article entitled "Modern Homer" about a supposedly newly-discovered Greek poet Andreas Karavis, with an interview, a photograph, and an essay by David Solway. In the piece, Solway claimed that he had hunted the reclusive fisherman-poet for years until he had finally met him in 1991, and that he had begun to translate his poems in 1993.
Solway claimed that Karavis had been born in 1932 in Chania
, Crete
, and that he lived on the Dodecanese
island
of Lipsi. After Karavis education on Serifos
, disrupted by World War II
and the civil war
, he became a fisherman
and settled on Amorgos
, selling his books of poetry in local harbors. Amongst his supposed collections was White Poems (1965). After having laboured in obscurity for the greater part of his life, he had become one of the country's most acclaimed and admired writers with the 1989 publlication of The Dream Masters.
In reality, Karavis was the creation of Solway, which fact he soon admitted. However, other people joined the joke. In the next issue there was a letter from a self-declared expert on Greek poetry, "Fred Reed". He did not dispute Karavis' existence, but claimed that Karavis was in fact a smuggler, not a fisherman, and that the first poems were nothing else that pirated translations from a group of expatriate Canadians.
Later, press attaché Yiorgos Chouliaris of the Greek embassy, wrote to Solway to congratulate him for "imaginative effort". Solway convinced him to join the hoax.
The fame of Karavis spread. There were reports of international conferences about his poetry in Thessaloniki
and Coimbra
. Solway met a writer who claimed that he had admired Karavis for many years, and someone who said that Karavis was more worthy of the Nobel Prize
than more famous Greek poets. He even received two postcards signed with Karavis' name.
In 2000, Chouliaris was one of the hosts at the launch of a translation of Karavis' poems, Saracen Island: The Poetry of Andreas Karavis. Although Solway claimed to be the translator, the work was entirely his creation. A man who claimed to be Karavis appeared, wearing a fisherman's cap and speaking something that at least sounded like Greek.
Soon afterwards Matthew Hayes, a columnist of The Globe and Mail
in Toronto
, wrote an article entitled Karavis: Greek god of poetry or literary hoax?. In a 2001 issue of Lingua Franca magazine, Solway finally confessed in public that he had invented the poet, and that the man who had appeared at the book launch, purporting to be Karavis, was actually Solway's dentist
.
Solway has said that he had created Karavis as an "alter ego
and heteronym
" to gain new inspiration for his poetry.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
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...
created by Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
poet David Solway
David Solway
David Solway is a Canadian poet, educational theorist, travel writer and literary critic of Jewish descent.He is a member of the Jubilate Circle and formerly a teacher of English Literature at John Abbott College...
.
On October 1999, Books in Canada published an article entitled "Modern Homer" about a supposedly newly-discovered Greek poet Andreas Karavis, with an interview, a photograph, and an essay by David Solway. In the piece, Solway claimed that he had hunted the reclusive fisherman-poet for years until he had finally met him in 1991, and that he had begun to translate his poems in 1993.
Solway claimed that Karavis had been born in 1932 in Chania
Chania
Chaniá , , also transliterated Chania, Hania, and Xania, older form Chanea and Venetian Canea, Ottoman Turkish خانيه Hanya) is the second largest city of Crete and the capital of the Chania peripheral unit...
, Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, and that he lived on the Dodecanese
Dodecanese
The Dodecanese are a group of 12 larger plus 150 smaller Greek islands in the Aegean Sea, of which 26 are inhabited. Τhis island group generally defines the eastern limit of the Sea of Crete. They belong to the Southern Sporades island group...
island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
of Lipsi. After Karavis education on Serifos
Serifos
Serifos is a Greek island municipality in the Aegean Sea, located in the western Cyclades, south of Kythnos and northwest of Sifnos. It is part of the Milos peripheral unit. The area is 75.207 km² and the population was 1,414 at the 2001 census. It is located about ESE of Piraeus...
, disrupted by 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...
and the civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
, he became a fisherman
Fisherman
A fisherman or fisher is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishermen and fish farmers. The term can also be applied to recreational fishermen and may be used to describe both men...
and settled on Amorgos
Amorgos
Amorgos is the easternmost island of the Greek Cyclades island group, and the nearest island to the neighboring Dodecanese island group. Along with several neighboring islets, the largest of which is Nikouria Island, it comprises the municipality of Amorgos, which has a land area of...
, selling his books of poetry in local harbors. Amongst his supposed collections was White Poems (1965). After having laboured in obscurity for the greater part of his life, he had become one of the country's most acclaimed and admired writers with the 1989 publlication of The Dream Masters.
In reality, Karavis was the creation of Solway, which fact he soon admitted. However, other people joined the joke. In the next issue there was a letter from a self-declared expert on Greek poetry, "Fred Reed". He did not dispute Karavis' existence, but claimed that Karavis was in fact a smuggler, not a fisherman, and that the first poems were nothing else that pirated translations from a group of expatriate Canadians.
Later, press attaché Yiorgos Chouliaris of the Greek embassy, wrote to Solway to congratulate him for "imaginative effort". Solway convinced him to join the hoax.
The fame of Karavis spread. There were reports of international conferences about his poetry in Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
and Coimbra
Coimbra
Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...
. Solway met a writer who claimed that he had admired Karavis for many years, and someone who said that Karavis was more worthy of the Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
than more famous Greek poets. He even received two postcards signed with Karavis' name.
In 2000, Chouliaris was one of the hosts at the launch of a translation of Karavis' poems, Saracen Island: The Poetry of Andreas Karavis. Although Solway claimed to be the translator, the work was entirely his creation. A man who claimed to be Karavis appeared, wearing a fisherman's cap and speaking something that at least sounded like Greek.
Soon afterwards Matthew Hayes, a columnist of The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, wrote an article entitled Karavis: Greek god of poetry or literary hoax?. In a 2001 issue of Lingua Franca magazine, Solway finally confessed in public that he had invented the poet, and that the man who had appeared at the book launch, purporting to be Karavis, was actually Solway's dentist
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
.
Solway has said that he had created Karavis as an "alter ego
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
and heteronym
Heteronym (literature)
The literary concept of heteronym, invented by Portuguese writer and poet Fernando Pessoa, refers to one or more imaginary character created by a writer to write in different styles...
" to gain new inspiration for his poetry.