The Contrast of Content and Expression in the Works of Nikos Engonopoulos.

Import

Nikos Engonopoulos (1907-1985), a key representative of Greek surrealism, formed a poetic writing that consciously distances itself from conventions, both in terms of content and form. He was one of the Greek pioneers of the 20th century and this is also evident in his work, where it is full of symbolism, irony and subversions, and thus offers interpretative and creative approaches.

The idea for this work came from my personal contact with Engonopoulos' archive and some of his recordings, as I was impressed by the contradiction in his style. In his poems he deals with existential, national or historical issues of particular gravity, but using a language that is often disarmingly simple or deliberately everyday, thus creating a sharp rift between form and content.

In particular, three basic poems by Engonopoulos are analyzed: "Bolivar", "On the Heights" and "Hydra of the Birds". Through the comparative study of these, I seek to illuminate the techniques that the poet uses to create this creative tension between meaning and utterance, that is, to deal with issues of serious thematic through an utterance that carries elements of lightness or irony, or vice versa, to give a style of high seriousness to otherwise simple or everyday subjects.

The main objective of the analysis is to highlight how Engonopoulos' surrealist writing instrumentalizes the rupture between what and how it is said, in order to pose questions about art, identity, freedom and historical memory. At the same time, an attempt is made to highlight the cultural and poetic paradox of Engonopoulos, through a creative and interpretative prism.

In his work, the logical order is constantly undermined by elements of the absurd, the historical narrative is intertwined with mythical and imaginary motifs, while the lyrical discourse is deconstructed through a voice that often appears detached, even indifferent to emotional involvement. Through this strategic counterpoint, Engonopoulos' poetry seeks to overturn the traditional perception of poetic discourse and to highlight new possibilities of expression and meaning.

The methodological approach of the work was based on the comparative and thematic analysis of the poems, in combination with his personal readings, as well as the use of documentation (such as excerpts, pictorial material, notes from interviews or studies of the poet). The approach is therefore hybrid, as it moves between the interpretation and the creative response to the material and the access we had to it.

Theoretical and Historical Context

Nikos Engonopoulos is one of the most important exponents of Greek surrealism, both in the field of poetry and painting. His childhood took place between Istanbul, Switzerland and Paris, an experience that contributed decisively to the formation of an expanded aesthetic and intellectual horizon. His acquaintance and artistic affinity with Andreas Embiricos, as well as his influences from the European surrealist movement, led to his artistic maturation

As a poet he is distinguished for his innovative use of language, the deconstruction of syntactic coherence, the creation of unexpected and paradoxical images, but also for the bold integration of national and historical symbols. His parallel occupation with painting enriches his poetic expression with intense visual elements. Thus creating a peculiar intertextual space between word and image. His aesthetic proposal transcends the boundaries of established genres, constituting a holistic view of his existence, where the historical, the existential and the imaginary converge in a single poetic universe.

Surrealism and its Greek Perception.

Surrealism (or surrealism), as an artistic and theoretical current, was founded in 1924 with André Breton's Manifesto of Surrealism, attempting to free the imagination from the limitations of logic, morality, and social conventions. Its aim is to highlight the unconscious and capture the inner reality, incorporating techniques such as automatic writing and the discontinuity of narrative structure.

In the Greek literary field, due to the break with the dominant forms of speech and the traditionally regulated aesthetics of the first decades of the 20th century, the perception of surrealism was complex. Despite the initial doubts, the current managed to take root creatively, especially through the works of Nikos Engonopoulos and Andreas Embiricos, who attributed to surrealism a Greek physiognomy and historical consciousness.

With his poetry, Engonopoulos introduced into Greek poetic discourse the main characteristics of surrealism, which are the seemingly disconnected or incoherent flow of images, the logic of automatic writing, the unexpected transition between heterogeneous semantic fields and fragmentary composition. The influences from the visual avant-garde of Europe, and in particular from artists such as Max Ernst and Giorgi de Chirico, are obvious, while at the same time Greek mythology is organically assimilated. This gives his work a hybrid character, where the imaginary meets the national and the visual universe is transformed into a carrier of cultural identity.

The Surrealist Framework and the Phonetic Poetry.

An integral part of the significance of poetry is the vocal dimension, and there is no limitation on the recitation or emphasis of words. Paul Zumthor mentions that poetry is a 'vocal art' where the voice functions as a way of giving meaning. At the same time, Henri Meschonnic focuses on rhythmicity and pronunciation, and mentions that they are not just technical elements, capable of influencing the meaning and feel of the poem. Therefore, the phonetic analysis of Engonopoulos' poetic works reveals aspects of his poetics that are not evident in the traditional reading approach, since recitation illuminates the dimension of surrealist experimentation.

The Concept of Content and Speech Contrast.

In the works of Nikos Engonopoulos, there is regularly a strong contrast between the theme of the poems and the way they are pronounced in his recordings. Although the content often touches on issues of high existential and ideological charge, such as death, national memory, war or power, the narration includes sarcastic, ironic or surreal character.

Through detached and sometimes sarcastic utterance, the rhetoric of pretentious seriousness is undermined, the normative function of language is questioned, and the traditional narrative structure is negated. At the center of this method is the intention to deconstruct meaning and the emergence of linguistic instability, elements that can be found in later theoretical developments.

Recitation as the direction of speech.

The recitation of Nikos Engonopoulos is not a simple reading, but a directorial act. From the deliberate lack of emotional connotation, a special space for the reception of speech is created, that is, a space that is cold, almost theatrically emigrating. He intends to direct the listener, but tries to distance him from direct involvement. This choice is not part of the broader surrealist goal, which is that art should not explain or console, but rather surprise and overturn.

Interpretative tools: memory, archive, image.

For the understanding of Engonopoulos' work, the concept of memory, both collective and individual, as well as imagination based on ancient history, is crucial. The poet does not represent history, he creates it from the beginning through a series of different images, events and persons.

This approach can be explained in the light of the archive theory of Michel Foucault and Jacques Derrida, where he states that memory is organized not as a chronological record, but as an active material for the formation of identity. At the same time, the use of the image does not function as a description, but to activate symbolisms that touch the unconscious, as referred to in the psychological theories of Freud and Lacan.

For the preparation of this work, key works and sources have been utilized that contribute to the multifaceted approach to the poetic and visual work of Nikos Engonopoulos. Among them, the collections Poems (1942-1978) by him (Ikaros Publications), as well as the Octana by Andreas Embiricos, occupy a primary place, which contribute to the comparison and understanding of surrealist techniques in Greek poetry. Also, studies such as the article "Surrealism in Greece" by Maria Stasinopoulou in the journal Nea Estia have been a key theoretical contribution.

The analysis is further supported by theoretical tools derived from modern philosophy and critical theory. The theory, as formulated by Michael Foucault in The Archaelogy of Knowledge and Jacques Derrida in Archive Fever, create a framework for understanding memory, as an active mechanism for constructing identity and historical consciousness. At the same time, Ronald Barthes's views on Image-Music-Text intensify the importance of reading the image and its relationship to the text.

Detailed description of the poetic work

The study entitled "The Contrast of Content and Expression in the Works of Nikos Engonopoulos" is an interpretative construction, which aims at the poetics of surrealism, to highlight the depth of the contrast that characterizes his way of writing and in the recordings of the poems themselves. The work was primarily organized with intertextual composition and more specific excerpts from his poems and secondary sources, such as theoretical and critical texts that illuminate and contribute to the multiple aspects of surrealism and its understanding.

The structure of the work is divided into three main thematic units, namely three of his poems, each of which deepens and highlights different aspects of Engonopoulos' poetic technique and ideology in terms of the way of writing. These sections are the national identity and the face of the hero in the poem"Bolivar", the rise and fall of the inner experience in the poem "On Heights", and the dreamlike nature of creation and the unconscious in "The Hydra of the Birds".

The choice of these poems was targeted and represents different temporal phases as well as thematic directions of Engonopoulos' poetic career. "Bolivar" is written in the midst of the Occupation and strongly supports political and national issues, "On Heights" is placed in its mature poetic phase, with emphasis on existential depth and spirituality. And finally, "Hydra of the Birds" is an absolutely surreal poem, where the dreamy, visual and unconscious image dominates, detached from the realistic narrative.

The first thematic section focuses on the poem "Bolívar" as a crossroads, where the poet combines national and political discourse with a sarcastic and often ironic utterance. Through the poem, Simon Bolívar is presented as a transcendent hero, a symbol of freedom, resistance and national identity, with a high, almost epic character. Of course, the language of the poem transforms this serious content into a form that resembles a paradoxical hymn. an example is the verse "Bolivar is beautiful as a Greek", where he conveys an intense heroic feeling, an expressive exaggeration and the passion of the lyrics refers to an emphatic, almost patriotic style. However, the ritual mood that the poem exudes breaks with the tone of his voice in the recording of the poem, retaining a detached and almost sarcastic tone. Also, the verse "You know, Bolívar, that our hearts are beating strangely tonight..." transmits a shiver and an upset. On the contrary, the voice seems to undermine the rhetorical exaltation. The heroic narrative is stripped bare and acquires a demystifying character.

In the recording, Engonopoulos' recitation is monotonous and detached, without rhetorical climaxes or emotional emphasis. This contrast creates an ironic distance from the revolutionary content, undermining the heroic narrative and highlighting the paradox behind the heroic narrative. This vocal choice is linked to the surrealist intention of demystifying ideological narratives.

The second section analyzes the poem "On the Heights", where the poetic expression becomes simpler and more ascetic, while the content of the poem is intensely religious, philosophical, aesthetic and metaphysical. Height here functions as a metaphor for inner spiritual upliftment and perhaps loneliness and fall, as depicted in the verse "height is a word that hurts". This phrase, although intense in its formulation, does not acquire a deep poetic weight thanks to the poet's pronunciation. Also, the verse "avoid height and prefer depth, height is dangerous..." It is a reversal of the conventional hierarchy, where height is identified with the immaterial and the ideal and introduces an ironic reflection. Engonopoulos seems here to parody intellectual arrogance, pointing out the instability of the ideas we construct as superior. These techniques intensify the listener's sense of alienation and mental tension from the poem.

In the pronunciation of the verses, the poet's recitation does not confirm the seriousness of this quest. On the contrary, the lack of an emphatic articulation downplays the symbolic weight of the concept of height. This leads to a reversal of the expected, while the reader's expectation is an uplift. It seems to remain grounded, undermining the notion of height. Thus, once again, we see that the pronunciation functions as a channel for the surrealist deconstruction of metaphysics.

The third section is his most surreal phase and is the poem "Hydra of the Birds". The meaning of the poem does not arise through narrative logic or coherent structure, but from the confluence of disconnected images and symbolisms that function as autonomous scenes of a dream. It combines lyricism with surreal images, in a Greek landscape. Simple language is everyday or even innocent. The coexistence with the abstract image of "Hydra" creates an absurd and deeply human feeling.

In the verse "the sea touched your hair and then you became a song..." The metaphor is purely poetic and lends an emotional charge, perhaps almost erotic. But once again Engonopoulos refuses to embody this feeling in his voice. Also, the verse "a Hydra that does not kill
but flutters", his voice does not fly as we would expect, but walks slowly, methodically and without emphasis. The poet in his utterance does not participate in his vision, but narrates it as if it belonged to someone else. The same rhythmic coldness is maintained and the sense of the dream is reinforced, and once again the utterance becomes a tool of surrealistic deconstruction. This results in a vocal alienation that makes Poetry as a spiritual construct.

In this specific analysis and in the creative method that was followed, it is possible to show the particular strategy in the poetry of Nikos Engonopoulos. This is the transformation of poetry into an event that goes beyond conventional narration, with diffuse irony and the emergence of language as a field of freedom. From this contrast of content and expression, his work composes a poetic universe, where truth is hidden in the discontinuity and variety of expression.

Description of the creative process

The process began with an examination of the poetic work of Engonopoulos. In order to identify poems where the contrast between content and utterance is evident with intensity. At the same time, I was examining which recordings of these poems I have access to. From the beginning, I noticed that the coloration, rhythm and recitation of the poet in the recordings affects the reception of the poems. The way in which Engonopoulos recites his poems creates a detachment, since his voice seemingly opposes the emotional or ideological charge of his lyrics.

Then I chose three poems, which are "Bolivar", "On the Heights" and "The Hydra of the Birds". Each focuses on a different version of itself between the years. "Bolivar" carries a heroic and epic speech that is uttered with irony, "On Heights" combines philosophical reflection with a monotonous utterance, while "Hydra of the Birds" functions as a poetic dream recited with full emotional distance, and perhaps as if it cancels out the dreamlike charge.

The sound experience, therefore, did not function simply as a supplement to reading, but as an autonomous analytical axis. The poet's own rendition was a crucial tool for the interpretation of the work, as it helped me to better understand his surrealistic work and techniques. During the listening, I recorded remarks about the tone, pauses and emphatic choices in the poet's tone. These sonic nuances proved to be revealing for the overall reception of the poems.

At the same time, in order to be able to come into contact with surrealism and with the poet himself, I proceeded to the study of theoretical and critical texts. Themes, such as dreams, memory, the deconstruction of language and national identity, met with the experience of listening, increasing my perception of the ironic use of language in his poetry. On the other hand, the thematic arrangement of the units emerged from the reflection of a course of ascent from reality to the inner sphere of the unconscious. This course is also reflected in the sound of the poet's voice, which seems to float between sarcasm and melancholy.

However, there was no shortage of challenges in the whole process. The balance between interpretative freedom and theoretical documentation, as well as the perception of the material, required constant evaluation. The repeated listenings to the recordings were decisive, as each new listen hid new aspects of speech and meaning. Throughout this course, however, the poet's voice became an interlocutor, a strange guide to an interpretive wandering. The detached tone of his voice did not distract me from the content, but pushed me to re-examine it in depth. However, I did not seek to reach definitive conclusions, but rather a dialogue between the silence of the page and the sound of the voice.

Overall, the creative process was a sequence of research, research, audition, and experimentation. The aim was not simply to analyze the contrast between content and speech, but to experience it, and to transform it into an organic element of the work itself. Through this course I managed to highlight the peculiar, enigmatic and multi-layered character of Engonopoulos' poetry, which raises many questions for the reader with his utterance.

Conclusions

In this study between the content and the expression in the works of Nikos Engonopoulos, we come to the complexity and uniqueness of his poetic voice. Through the extensive analysis and regular listening to the recordings of the poet himself, a creative intensity emerged that does not negate but on the contrary enhances the conceptual depth of his poems.

Engonopoulos' poems are characterized by a seemingly paradoxical coexistence: on the one hand, issues of major importance are touched upon, such as historical memory, national identity, heroism, love and dreams, while on the other hand, their utterance by the poet himself, with its monotonous, indifferent and sometimes sarcastic connotation, seems to distance itself from the importance of things. This particular utterance, however, does not negate the essence, that is, that it works ironically, deconstructing the old rhetorical mouthpiece, and this makes his poetry more dialectical, more open to modern consciousness.

This contrast is not just an aesthetic choice, but a main method of surrealist discourse, which aims to provoke the reader, to disorient him from the literal and to direct him towards the discovery of multiple levels of meaning. The poet's voice, as recorded in the recordings, is a means for the reception of this strategy. The "paradox" becomes a tool for subversion and criticism, not only against social reality but also towards language itself.

Through the analysis of the poems "Bolivar", "On the Height" and "Hydra of the Birds", and the comparison of the texts with the way they were pronounced, different aspects of Engonopoulos' poetry were revealed. The three basic and most important are the ironic deconstruction of the heroic, the existential lightness of the height and the metaphysical silence of the dream. In all cases, the poet's voice is unconventional, almost irrational, but which ultimately ends up in the author's deepest intention to strip the seriousness and free the meaning from conventions.

My personal approach changed throughout the study. I went through an experiential, almost dialogical relationship with poems, where he made poetry itself not just a static object of study, but a living experience and in this case a hybrid of speech, voice and emotion. Speaking, instead of reducing the weight of the lyrics, acts as a crack that allows us to see beyond the surface. The contrast of content and expression does not appear as incompatibility, but as a field of tension, where irony meets anguish, and paradox becomes one through the search for truth. Engonopoulos' poetry continues to be a source of inspiration and provocation not only for what he says, but mainly for the way he says it.

Sources - Bibliography

Greek-speaking

Anagnostakis, A. (2003). The poetics of Engonopoulos. Patakis.

Anagnostopoulos, K. (2012). Surrealism in Greece. Cedar.

Vagenas, N. (1991). The poet and the dancer: Essays on poetry. Cedar.

Daskalopoulos, D. (1994). Engonopoulos. His life and work. Mercury.

Kazantzi, A. (2014). The place of myth in the surrealist poetry of Nikos Engonopoulos. Nea Estia, 1860, 115–125.

Katsavounis, K. (2017). Surrealism and national identity in Greek poetry of the 20th century. Chisel.

Commandareas, M. (1979). Nikos Engonopoulos: Surrealist or Greek poet? New Borders.

Maronitis, D.N. (2000). Literature as language and voice. Icarus.

Mila-Aposkite, E. (2007). Surrealism and the Greek avant-garde. Gutenberg.

Politis, L. (1980). History of Modern Greek Literature. MIET.

Christodoulides, G. (2010). The poetic subject and irony in Engonopoulos. Poetics, 14, 75–88.

Foreign language

Barthes, R. (1977). Image – Music – Text (S. Heath, Trans.). Fontana Press.

Cavarero, A. (2005). For More Than One Voice: Toward a Philosophy of Vocal Expression. Stanford University Press.

Derrida, J. (1978). Writing and Difference (A. Bass, Trans.). Routledge. (Prot. ed. 1967).

Dolar, M. (2006). A Voice and Nothing More. MIT Press.

Foucault, M. (1972). The Archaeology of Knowledge (A. M. Sheridan Smith, Trans.). Pantheon Books.

Freud, S. (1957). The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 14) (J. Strachey, Trans.). Hogarth Press. (Πρωτ. έκδ. 1914).

Jameson, F. (1991). Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism. Duke University Press.

Kristeva, J. (1980). Desire in Language: A Semiotic Approach to Literature and Art. Columbia University Press.

Lacan, J. (2006). Écrits: The First Complete Edition in English (B. Fink, Trans.). W.W. Norton & Company.

Matthews, J.H. (1969). Surrealism and the Novel. University of Texas Press.

Meschonnic, H. (1999). Poetics of Rhythm: Historical Anthropology of Language. Greenfinch.

Rabaté, J.-M. (2001). The Future of Theory. Blackwell.

Zumthor, P. (1990). Oral Poetry: An Introduction (K. M. Spires, Trans.). University of Minnesota Press.
(Zumthor states that poetry is a "vocal art," where the voice functions as a way of meaning.