Vladimir Holan, a significant yet underrecognized poet, emerged from the tumultuous backdrop of early 20th-century Prague. His powerful and vivid poetry captures the despair and complexity of his era, resonating with contemporary global anxieties surrounding terrorism and conflict. This collection features two apocalyptic poems that reflect his profound insights into human suffering and turmoil, offering a poignant commentary that remains relevant today.
Básnická skladba Sen z roku 1939 napsaná Vladimírem Holanem umělecky popisuje ponurou vizi temnoty a hrůzy zaživa pohřbeného města (nacisty okupované Prahy). Je jedním z mála děl světového básnictví, o nichž se dá se vší vážností a úctou mluvit jako o angažované poezii. Myslíme tím poezii, která nekomentuje dějiny, ale je svébytným aktérem dějin a zároveň jejich soudcem. „Poezie by měla být osvobozující“, píše Holan v jednom v prozaickém textu. „Pro mne je poezie univerzum, pramen všeho umění. Jde o metaforické myšlení. Priorita myšlenky a citu si žádá stavebnost. Poezie nesnáší lacinou služebnost chvíle, je jí cizí vulgarizace. Jde o pevnostní hlídku“. Skladbu Sen věnoval Holan památce ruského básníka, tvůrce „zaumu“ („řeč za hranicemi rozumu“), filologovi a matematikovi Velemíru Chlebnikovovi (1885–1922). Můžeme brát toto věnování jako výraz Holanova vnitřního příbuzenství s básníkem, kterého ani v krutých letech ruské revoluce neopouštěla vášeň pro experimentátorskou tvorbu, přerůstající v osobité angažmá v zmatených dějinách.
Vladimir Holan esteemed Shakespeare as the greatest poet of all time and wrote this soliloquy as a dignified tribute to the genius of the Bard of Avon. As in all Holan's writings, love, sex, religion, fear and death form the constant thematic make-up of this soliloquy. His clever allegory, which he often repeats, as if to reinforce its impact, and the prolific use of the double entendr and Shakespearean-style impertinence are absolutely fascinating. A Night with Hamlet is Holan at his best - "chatting" away to Hamlet. Then, after a long verse about fear, he introduces the conversation between Orpheus and Eurydice, when Eurydice - contrary to Greek mythology - is allowed to join Orpheus, as if some hope for life and love still remained. Alas, not for long, because the Stygian soliloquy soon returns. Holan refers to A Night with Ophelia as a "fragment," which makes us wonder whether he ever intended to finish this work, or whether he always wanted it to be just that - a fragment. We shall never know.
Reading Dolour is like looking into the most private depths of Holan's soul. Some of his poems are so simple that they are almost child-like; some are cruel and harsh, while others border on pornography. One can easily call him a wordsmith - he uses words as thoughts to convey his every written nuance. Sometimes, he purposefully chooses archaic and totally obsolete Czech words, which are virtually untranslatable. He was obsessed with women and sex, as well as his belief in God, Satan, Hell and Heaven. Both his sensuality and spirituality appear in most of his works and his intensity of emotion is almost tangible. Yet, he was so sentimental that he saw romance in every situation - even a glimpse of a woman's face in a passing train or encountering a woman in an elevator, or wondering what book that girl in a tram was reading. When the Communist Party took over Czechoslovakia, Holan was utterly devastated by their totalitarian regime, but his polemic was but a grain of sand in the oyster of hope. Reading Dolour is an experience you will never forget!
Vladimír Holan is now regarded in Czechoslovakia as one of the most outstanding living poets. Yet fom 1948 until 1963 official disapproval of his poetry forced him to live in isolation. Those grim years inspired his finest work: he developed themes of man's suffering, is lost innocence and the frustration of life in a world of ambiguities. Originally influenced by surrealism, he makes use of the justaposition of unexpected images to evoke in the reader his owns sense of the strangeness of human existence.
Set against the backdrop of post-war Czechoslovakia, this collection features narrative poems crafted during a tumultuous period marked by totalitarian rule. Written in a state of "delirious seclusion," the poet found inspiration in a historic house on the island of Kampa in Prague. The work reflects the emotional and psychological turmoil of its time, showcasing Holan's unique voice and perspective as he navigates themes of oppression, isolation, and resilience through his poignant verses.
