Oost-Azië (Dutch for "East Asia") is a volume of poetry by Dutch poet J. Slauerhoff. First published in 1928 under the pseudonym John Ravenswood, the collection contains poems whose theme is the Far East, a part of the globe Slauerhoff knew from his career as a sailor.
Oost-Azië contains four sections. The first and the third are collections of various poems; the second and the third are themed sections, dedicated to Macao and Korea respectively.
8 various poems, mostly landscapes and topical poems
a group of 4 poems about Macau, the last one a biographical sonnet about Luís de Camões
15 various poems, including landscape and character sketches
7 poems about Korea
The first section opens with an editorial comment, in which "J. Slauerhoff" explains that he is publishing these verses on behalf of the recently deceased "John Ravenswood", a Dutchman of Scottish descent, who had withdrawn from Western life to Jeju Island (then called "Quelpart" by Europeans) where he married a local woman after deserting the whaling ship on which he sailed.
Macau occupies an important place in Slauerhoff's work; it is the setting of his 1931 novel Het verboden rijk, in which Camões was one of the two protagonists. Oost-Azië's Macao section is dedicated to Constâncio José da Silva, an important Macanese newspaper editor. Two of the Macao poems, and a poem about a Portuguese fort in Asia, were translated into French for Fleurs de Marécage.[1]
Critical receptionedit
Nico Donkersloot, in a comparison between Oost-Azië and Eldorado, which Slauerhoff published under his own name in the same year, called the former less grand than the latter, but with a more exciting "plasticity" in its poetry. Donkersloot describes the poems as finely-drawn sketches with exquisite lines that avoid the simplicity of easy rhymes and instead feature unexpected and curious "magnetic" rhymes, an effect achieved by rhyming polysyllabically. He compares the poems to Japanese prints, detailed and sharp and sometimes rivaling the work of Herman Gorter.[2]
Hendrik Marsman noted that Oost-Azië appeared at roughly the same time as Eldorado, and that some of the poems would have fit better, perhaps, in that collection. Marsman singles out "Captain Miguel", a 44-line biography (dedicated to "J. Slauerhoff"!) of a former sailor who withdraws from life and settles for a mundane and repetitive existence aboard a coaster that goes up and down the coast of China. The poem's description of the "rough tramp's life of a desperado" is typical of Slauerhoff, and according to Marsman it is treated here more eloquently, in less "barbarous" verse, than in Eldorado, and unlike some of those poems is more easily "inhabited" by the reader. Oost-Azië focuses on landscapes, bays, objects, whereas Eldorado portrays people, and in a much more direct manner, in more or less autobiographical poems. On the whole, Marsman thought the collection decent though never of superior quality, and falling short of Slauerhoff's poetic talent.[3]
Referencesedit
^Morais, Isabel (2012). "The Forbidden Realm: In Camões's Footsteps from Lisbon to Macau". In White, Jonathan; Wang, I-Chun (eds.). The City and the Ocean: Journeys, Memory, Imagination. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. pp. 142–59. ISBN9781443837248.
^Donkersloot, Nico. "J. Slauerhoff". Fausten en faunen: Beschouwingen over boeken en menschen (in Dutch). pp. 43–49. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
^Marsman, Hendrik (1931). "John Ravenswood (J. Slauerhoff): Oost-Azie". Kort geding (in Dutch). Brussel: A.A.M. Stols. pp. 53–59.
External linksedit
Oost-Azië, first edition (PDF)
April 09, 2024
oost, azië, dutch, east, asia, volume, poetry, dutch, poet, slauerhoff, first, published, 1928, under, pseudonym, john, ravenswood, collection, contains, poems, whose, theme, east, part, globe, slauerhoff, knew, from, career, sailor, authorj, slauerhoffcountry. Oost Azie Dutch for East Asia is a volume of poetry by Dutch poet J Slauerhoff First published in 1928 under the pseudonym John Ravenswood the collection contains poems whose theme is the Far East a part of the globe Slauerhoff knew from his career as a sailor Oost AzieAuthorJ SlauerhoffCountryNetherlandsLanguageDutchGenrePoetryPublisherDe Gemeenschap first ed Publication date1928Preceded byClair obscur 1927 Followed byEldorado 1928 Contents 1 Contents 2 Critical reception 3 References 4 External linksContents editOost Azie contains four sections The first and the third are collections of various poems the second and the third are themed sections dedicated to Macao and Korea respectively 8 various poems mostly landscapes and topical poems a group of 4 poems about Macau the last one a biographical sonnet about Luis de Camoes 15 various poems including landscape and character sketches 7 poems about KoreaThe first section opens with an editorial comment in which J Slauerhoff explains that he is publishing these verses on behalf of the recently deceased John Ravenswood a Dutchman of Scottish descent who had withdrawn from Western life to Jeju Island then called Quelpart by Europeans where he married a local woman after deserting the whaling ship on which he sailed Macau occupies an important place in Slauerhoff s work it is the setting of his 1931 novel Het verboden rijk in which Camoes was one of the two protagonists Oost Azie s Macao section is dedicated to Constancio Jose da Silva an important Macanese newspaper editor Two of the Macao poems and a poem about a Portuguese fort in Asia were translated into French for Fleurs de Marecage 1 Critical reception editNico Donkersloot in a comparison between Oost Azie and Eldorado which Slauerhoff published under his own name in the same year called the former less grand than the latter but with a more exciting plasticity in its poetry Donkersloot describes the poems as finely drawn sketches with exquisite lines that avoid the simplicity of easy rhymes and instead feature unexpected and curious magnetic rhymes an effect achieved by rhyming polysyllabically He compares the poems to Japanese prints detailed and sharp and sometimes rivaling the work of Herman Gorter 2 Hendrik Marsman noted that Oost Azie appeared at roughly the same time as Eldorado and that some of the poems would have fit better perhaps in that collection Marsman singles out Captain Miguel a 44 line biography dedicated to J Slauerhoff of a former sailor who withdraws from life and settles for a mundane and repetitive existence aboard a coaster that goes up and down the coast of China The poem s description of the rough tramp s life of a desperado is typical of Slauerhoff and according to Marsman it is treated here more eloquently in less barbarous verse than in Eldorado and unlike some of those poems is more easily inhabited by the reader Oost Azie focuses on landscapes bays objects whereas Eldorado portrays people and in a much more direct manner in more or less autobiographical poems On the whole Marsman thought the collection decent though never of superior quality and falling short of Slauerhoff s poetic talent 3 References edit Morais Isabel 2012 The Forbidden Realm In Camoes s Footsteps from Lisbon to Macau In White Jonathan Wang I Chun eds The City and the Ocean Journeys Memory Imagination Cambridge Scholars Publishing pp 142 59 ISBN 9781443837248 Donkersloot Nico J Slauerhoff Fausten en faunen Beschouwingen over boeken en menschen in Dutch pp 43 49 Retrieved 6 March 2018 Marsman Hendrik 1931 John Ravenswood J Slauerhoff Oost Azie Kort geding in Dutch Brussel A A M Stols pp 53 59 External links editOost Azie first edition PDF Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Oost Azie amp oldid 1064815450, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
