This week on My Poetic Side we take a look at the opening of a museum dedicated to one of the most important modern Greek poets. We also look at the film based on a book about Dante’s Inferno.
Monemvasia, Home of Yannis Ritsos, Transformed into Museum
Yannis Ritsos was born in May 1909 and is arguably one of the most foremost Greek poets. Now, the birthplace of the great Greek poet has been transformed into a cultural landmark that will be open to visitors. Located in the heart of the medieval fortress of Monemvasia in the eastern Peloponnese, the building where on of the most revered modern Greek poets was born and raised will now offer a unique opportunity to see where he lived. Thanks to an initiative from the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports the building has been fully transformed into a museum.
The property was purchased from the family of the poet by the Ministry and the work was carried out with supervision from the Ephorate of Antiquities of Laconia and the Directorate of Modern Cultural Heritage.
For many years Ritsos has played an important role in the poetry of the region. His work has appeared in schoolbooks. The decision to create a lasting museum dedicated to his life and work has been one that has been long in the making, however it is an incredibly popular one not just with the people who live in his birth town but also those from all over Greece. The museum and Ministry are also grateful to the poet’s daughter for the donations that were made to the museum, and which came from amongst the poet’s personal belongings.
It is hoped that the museum will help to illustrate not only the personality of the poet but also the connection that he had to his native town. The exhibition is a permanent one and will be orchestrated around a number of Ritsos’ most important poems.
The building itself, which dates back to the post-Byzantine period is also of significant interest to the public, and offers some rare architectural gems that visitors may be interested in.
Actor Transforms into Dante’s Inferno Poet for Movie
The actor Oscar Isaac, who has previously appeared in Moon Knight and Star Wars, has been picked for the historical crime thriller with a poetry connection. “In the Hand of Dante” will follow the story of a handwritten copy of “The Divine Comedy” by Dante Alighieri, as it is passed through the hands of many ambitious individuals.
The film is based on a book of the same name and will have a star-studded cast featuring a number of very well-knownnames. Depicting two very different timelines, one from Dante’s life and the other from the fictional life of the author, Isaac will be playing the lead role in both timelines.
It seems rather fitting that the film will be making its debut at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, which is due to take place from 27th August to 6th September.
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