Frans Sammut
Encyclopedia
Frans Sammut was a Maltese
novelist and non-fiction writer.
. He studied at the Zebbug Primary School, St Aloysius' College, St Michael's Teacher Training College, the University of Malta
(B.A., S.Th.Dip./Diploma in Sacred Theology, M.Ed.
)Rome University and Perugia University (Diploma to teach Italian abroad).
Sammut first gained recognition in the early 60s when he was still in mid-teens through his short story L-Istqarrija which won first place in a contest by GHaqda Kittieba Zghazagh and through two other short stories which won second fourth places in the same contest; then in the late 1960s, he co-founded the Moviment Qawmien Letterarju (Literary Revival Movement). Later he served as Secretary of the Akkademja tal-Malti
(Maltese Language Academy).
In 2010, he was elected Fellow of the International Napoleonic Society.
Sammut ended his career in education as a Head of School, though from 1996 to 1998 he was Cultural Consultant to the Prime Minister of Malta
. He has been married to Catherine Cachia and they have two sons, Mark
and Jean-Pierre.
the 1971 film directed by Mario Philip Azzopardi, Samuraj, which won the Rothmans Prize, Paceville, which won the Government's Literary Medal. and Il-Holma Maltija (The Maltese Dream), about which literary critic Norbert Ellul-Vincenti wrote, "there is nothing of its magnitude in Maltese literature." Former Prime Minister and playwright Alfred Sant
considered it Sammut's "masterpiece", and British author and poet Marjorie Boulton
called it "a colossal work".
Sammut also published collections of short stories: Labirint (Labyrinth), Newbiet (Seasons), and Hrejjef Zminijietna (Tales of Our Times).
His non-fiction works include Ir-Rivoluzzjoni Franciza: il-Grajja u t-Tifsira (The French Revolution: History and Meaning), Bonaparti f'Malta (Bonaparte in Malta), of which a French translation, Bonaparte à Malte
, was published in 2008, and On The Da Vinci Code (2006), a bilingual (English and Maltese) commentary on the international bestseller
. He also edited Mikiel Anton Vassalli
's Lexicon. Vassalli (d. 1829) is considered the Father of the Maltese Language. In 2006, Sammut's translation of Vassalli's Motti, Aforismi e Proverbii Maltesi was published as Ghajdun il-Ghaqal, Kliem il-Gherf u Qwiel Maltin. In 2007, his Il-Holma Maltija in translation (as La Malta Revo) represented Malta in the Esperanto
collection of classic literary works published by Mondial Books of New York. In 2008, his Il-Gagga was published for the fifth time. In 2009, Sammut presented a revolutionary reinterpretation of Pietru Caxaro's poem "Xidew il-qada" (also known as "Il Cantilena"), the oldest written document in the Maltese language.
Sammut translated important works for theatre: Racine's Phedre (Fedra) (1978) and Maxim Gorki's The Lower Depths, both represented at the Manoel Theatre, under the direction of poet Mario Azzopardi.
Former University of Malta Rector, Professor of Philosophy and foremost Maltese intellectual Peter Serracino Inglott
said:
Serracino Inglott reacted thus to these words: "I realised then that sometimes tears and laughter are interchangeable."
| NAME =Sammut, Frans
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Maltese author and non-fiction writer
| DATE OF BIRTH = November 19, 1945
| PLACE OF BIRTH = Haz-Zebbug, Malta
| DATE OF DEATH = May 4, 2011
| PLACE OF DEATH = Mater Dei Hospital, Malta
}}
Maltese people
The Maltese are an ethnic group indigenous to the Southern European nation of Malta, and identified with the Maltese language. Malta is an island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea...
novelist and non-fiction writer.
Life
Sammut was born in Zebbug, MaltaZebbug, Malta
Ħaż-Żebbuġ or Città Rohan is one of the oldest towns in Malta. Its population is 12,892 as of 2010 making it the 12th largest town in Malta.-History and origins:...
. He studied at the Zebbug Primary School, St Aloysius' College, St Michael's Teacher Training College, the University of Malta
University of Malta
The University of Malta is the highest educational institution in Malta Europe and is one of the most respected universities in Europe. The University offers undergraduate Bachelor's Degrees, postgraduate Master's Degrees and postgraduate Doctorates .-History:The University of Malta was founded in...
(B.A., S.Th.Dip./Diploma in Sacred Theology, M.Ed.
Master of Education
The Master of Education is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in a large number of countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum and instruction, counseling, and administration. It is often conferred for educators advancing in...
)Rome University and Perugia University (Diploma to teach Italian abroad).
Sammut first gained recognition in the early 60s when he was still in mid-teens through his short story L-Istqarrija which won first place in a contest by GHaqda Kittieba Zghazagh and through two other short stories which won second fourth places in the same contest; then in the late 1960s, he co-founded the Moviment Qawmien Letterarju (Literary Revival Movement). Later he served as Secretary of the Akkademja tal-Malti
Akkademja tal-Malti
Akkademja tal-Malti was the prime regulatory body responsible for the Maltese language from the early 20th century up to the end of the millennium, when a Government sponsored law was passed to protect issues related to the national language...
(Maltese Language Academy).
In 2010, he was elected Fellow of the International Napoleonic Society.
Sammut ended his career in education as a Head of School, though from 1996 to 1998 he was Cultural Consultant to the Prime Minister of Malta
Prime Minister of Malta
The Prime Minister of Malta is the Head of Government of Malta.-Establishment of the office and developments:The office of "Head of Ministry" was created as soon as Malta was granted autonomous government in 1921. The 1921 constitution was suspended twice before being revoked...
. He has been married to Catherine Cachia and they have two sons, Mark
Mark A. Sammut
Mark A. Sammut has written A Short History of Latvia/L-Istorja tal-Latvja fil-Qosor and co-written, with Professor Giuseppe Mifsud Bonnici, former European Court of Human Rights Judge and former Chief Justice of Malta, Il-Liġi, il-Morali, u r-Raġuni [Law, Morality and Reason]...
and Jean-Pierre.
Works
He published numerous works, including the best-selling novels Il-Gaġġa (The Cage), which was the basis of GaġġaGagga
Gaġġa is a 1971 film adaptation of a novel called 'Il-Gagga' written by Frans Sammut. The adaptation was written and directed by Mario Azzopardi, who was a film student at the time. The film was originally made as a thesis, but was released in 2007 due to its cultural importance, being the first...
the 1971 film directed by Mario Philip Azzopardi, Samuraj, which won the Rothmans Prize, Paceville, which won the Government's Literary Medal. and Il-Holma Maltija (The Maltese Dream), about which literary critic Norbert Ellul-Vincenti wrote, "there is nothing of its magnitude in Maltese literature." Former Prime Minister and playwright Alfred Sant
Alfred Sant
Alfred Sant is a Maltese politician. He led the Labour Party from 1992 to 2008 and served as Prime Minister of Malta between 1996 and 1998 and as Leader of the Opposition from 1992 to 1996 and from 1998 to 2008....
considered it Sammut's "masterpiece", and British author and poet Marjorie Boulton
Marjorie Boulton
Marjorie Boulton is a British author and poet writing in both English and Esperanto.Author of Zamenhof: Creator of Esperanto — a biography of L. L...
called it "a colossal work".
Sammut also published collections of short stories: Labirint (Labyrinth), Newbiet (Seasons), and Hrejjef Zminijietna (Tales of Our Times).
His non-fiction works include Ir-Rivoluzzjoni Franciza: il-Grajja u t-Tifsira (The French Revolution: History and Meaning), Bonaparti f'Malta (Bonaparte in Malta), of which a French translation, Bonaparte à Malte
Bonaparte à Malte
Bonaparte à Malte is a 2008 book by Maltese writer Frans Sammut, with an introduction by Dr Paul Borg Olivier. The Maltese original, Bonaparti f'Malta, was published in 1997....
, was published in 2008, and On The Da Vinci Code (2006), a bilingual (English and Maltese) commentary on the international bestseller
Bestseller
A bestseller is a book that is identified as extremely popular by its inclusion on lists of currently top selling titles that are based on publishing industry and book trade figures and published by newspapers, magazines, or bookstore chains. Some lists are broken down into classifications and...
. He also edited Mikiel Anton Vassalli
Mikiel Anton Vassalli
Mikiel Anton Vassalli was a Maltese writer, a philosopher, and a linguist who published important Maltese language books, including a Maltese-Italian dictionary, a Maltese grammar book, the Maltese Gospels and, towards the end of his life, a book on Maltese proverbs.-Life:Mikiel Anton Vassalli was...
's Lexicon. Vassalli (d. 1829) is considered the Father of the Maltese Language. In 2006, Sammut's translation of Vassalli's Motti, Aforismi e Proverbii Maltesi was published as Ghajdun il-Ghaqal, Kliem il-Gherf u Qwiel Maltin. In 2007, his Il-Holma Maltija in translation (as La Malta Revo) represented Malta in the Esperanto
Esperanto
is the most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Its name derives from Doktoro Esperanto , the pseudonym under which L. L. Zamenhof published the first book detailing Esperanto, the Unua Libro, in 1887...
collection of classic literary works published by Mondial Books of New York. In 2008, his Il-Gagga was published for the fifth time. In 2009, Sammut presented a revolutionary reinterpretation of Pietru Caxaro's poem "Xidew il-qada" (also known as "Il Cantilena"), the oldest written document in the Maltese language.
Sammut translated important works for theatre: Racine's Phedre (Fedra) (1978) and Maxim Gorki's The Lower Depths, both represented at the Manoel Theatre, under the direction of poet Mario Azzopardi.
Former University of Malta Rector, Professor of Philosophy and foremost Maltese intellectual Peter Serracino Inglott
Peter Serracino Inglott
Peter Serracino Inglott is Emeritus Professor of philosophy at and former rector of the University of Malta...
said:
- The genius of Sammut was in his ability as of a Voltairian jester to transform a historical character into a sort of carnivalesqueCarnivalesqueCarnivalesque is an traces the origins of the carnivalesque to the concept of carnival, itself related to the Feast of Fools, a medieval festival originally of the sub-deacons of the cathedral, held about the time of the Feast of the Circumcision , in which the humbler cathedral officials...
vector of an ironically larger than life mask. The reader is made to enjoy the obverse side of personalities usually regarded with unmitigated solemnity. One smiles like an accomplice in their doubts, slippings and tergiversations. The stylistic shift from historical narrative to fictional is perhaps the biggest challenge to be faced by any kind of translator.
Last Words
Frans Sammut's famous last words were: “My wife and I should be going to Jerusalem, but it seems plans have changed. I am now going to the Heavenly Jerusalem."Serracino Inglott reacted thus to these words: "I realised then that sometimes tears and laughter are interchangeable."
External links
Heading text
sondata]]. -->| NAME =Sammut, Frans
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Maltese author and non-fiction writer
| DATE OF BIRTH = November 19, 1945
| PLACE OF BIRTH = Haz-Zebbug, Malta
| DATE OF DEATH = May 4, 2011
| PLACE OF DEATH = Mater Dei Hospital, Malta
}}