Pieter Cornelis Boutens
Encyclopedia
Pieter Cornelis Boutens (February 20, 1870 – March 14, 1943) was a Dutch
poet
, classicist, and mystic
.
Boutens was born in Middelburg
. He grew up in Zeeland
in a strict, Protestant middle-class environment. After finishing the Gymnasium Middelburg, he began to study classical languages in 1890 at the University of Utrecht, and graduated in 1899 on a study of the Greek comedy writer Aristophanes
.
His debut as a poet was the Utrecht Student Almanac in 1891. His early work was inspired by the verses of Herman Gorter
; later sources of inspiration were Plato
, Sappho
and the Bible. Boutens' style became based on the idea of achieving a "higher reality".
In 1894 he accepted the post of teacher of classical languages at the Noorthey boarding school for boys in Voorschoten
, at the time a renowned institute for young people from aristocratic families.
After a physical collapse in 1904 and a subsequent holiday in Tyrol
, he settled in The Hague
, where he earned his living by private tuition and the financial support of some aristocratic friends he had from Noorthey.
He became a member of the Association of Writers (founded in 1905), and became its president in 1918. During German occupation in World War II
, he also became a member of the Nazi-installed Nederlandsche Kultuurkamer.
Boutens died in The Hague
.
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
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...
, classicist, and mystic
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
.
Boutens was born in Middelburg
Middelburg
Middelburg is a municipality and a city in the south-western Netherlands and the capital of the province of Zeeland. It is situated in the Midden-Zeeland region. It has a population of about 48,000.- History of Middelburg :...
. He grew up in Zeeland
Zeeland
Zeeland , also called Zealand in English, is the westernmost province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the south-west of the country, consists of a number of islands and a strip bordering Belgium. Its capital is Middelburg. With a population of about 380,000, its area is about...
in a strict, Protestant middle-class environment. After finishing the Gymnasium Middelburg, he began to study classical languages in 1890 at the University of Utrecht, and graduated in 1899 on a study of the Greek comedy writer Aristophanes
Aristophanes
Aristophanes , son of Philippus, of the deme Cydathenaus, was a comic playwright of ancient Athens. Eleven of his forty plays survive virtually complete...
.
His debut as a poet was the Utrecht Student Almanac in 1891. His early work was inspired by the verses of Herman Gorter
Herman Gorter
Herman Gorter was a Dutch poet and socialist. He was a leading member of the Tachtigers, a highly influential group of Dutch writers who worked together in Amsterdam in the 1880s, centered around De Nieuwe Gids .Gorter's first book, a 4,000 verse epic poem called "Mei" , sealed his reputation...
; later sources of inspiration were Plato
Plato
Plato , was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the...
, Sappho
Sappho
Sappho was an Ancient Greek poet, born on the island of Lesbos. Later Greeks included her in the list of nine lyric poets. Her birth was sometime between 630 and 612 BC, and it is said that she died around 570 BC, but little is known for certain about her life...
and the Bible. Boutens' style became based on the idea of achieving a "higher reality".
In 1894 he accepted the post of teacher of classical languages at the Noorthey boarding school for boys in Voorschoten
Voorschoten
Voorschoten is a village and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. It is a smaller town in the Randstad, enclosed by the cities of Leiden and The Hague. The municipality covers an area of 11.59 km²...
, at the time a renowned institute for young people from aristocratic families.
After a physical collapse in 1904 and a subsequent holiday in Tyrol
County of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
, he settled in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, where he earned his living by private tuition and the financial support of some aristocratic friends he had from Noorthey.
He became a member of the Association of Writers (founded in 1905), and became its president in 1918. During German occupation in 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...
, he also became a member of the Nazi-installed Nederlandsche Kultuurkamer.
Boutens died in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
.
Works
- 1898 - Verzen
- 1902 - Praeludiën
- 1904 - Naenia
- 1907 - Stemmen
- 1908 - Beatrijs
- 1908 - Spel van Platoons leven
- 1909 - Vergeten liedjes (Forgotten songs)
- 1910 - Alianora
- 1912 - Carmina
- 1916 - Lente-maan
- 1919 - Strophen uit de nalatenschap van Andries de Hoghe
- 1920 - Sonnetten
- 1921 - Liederen van Isoude
- 1922 - Zomerwolken (Summer Clouds)
- 1926 - De sonnetten van Louis Labé (The Sonnets of Louis Labe)
- 1930 - Oud-Perzische kwatrijnen
- 1931 - Bezonnen verzen
- 1932 - Honderd Hollandsche kwatrijnen
- 1932 - Strophen en andere verzen uit de nalatenschap van Andries de Hoghe
- 1942 - Tusschenspelen
- 1942 - Gegeven keur
- 1943-1954 - Verzameld werk (Collected works) seven volumes, published after his death
Awards
- 1913 - Tollens PrizeTollensprijsThe Tollens Prize, Dutch Tollensprijs, is an quinquennial award in the Netherlands designed to provide a five prominent literary honor. The prize is awarded for a body of work that, in the opinion of the jury, had the highest literary value in the preceding five years.The award, established by the...
for Lifetime Achievement - 1914 - Nieuwe Gids-prijs for Carmina
- 1925 - Award for Mastery for Zomerwolken
External links
- Poems by Boutens in the Laurens Janszoon Coster project (Dutch)
- Boutens in het Biografisch Woordenboek van Nederland (Dutch)
- Koninklijke Library - P.C. Boutens collection (Dutch)
- Collection of works by Boutens at the Zeeuwse Bibliotheek (Dutch)
- Christiaan Janssens "P.C. Boutens and God's secret" (Dutch)