About
Guido Gezelle (1830-1899) was a Belgian Catholic priest, poet and philologist writing in Dutch. Ordained in 1854, he taught at several seminaries before serving as a curate in Bruges and Kortrijk. He is best known for his lyrical poetry imbued with mysticism and love of nature, written in a Dutch influenced by the West Flemish dialect. He also founded philological and cultural reviews and translated Longfellow's 'The Song of Hiawatha' into Dutch. His poetic work, characterized by neologisms and vivid imagery, is considered a forerunner of literary Impressionism.
* 1830-05-01 — † 1899-11-27
Major works
- Kerkhofblommen (1858)poetry collection
- Vlaemsche Dichtoefeningen (1858)poetry collection
- Kleengedichtjes (1860)poetry collection
- Gedichten, Gezangen en Gebeden (1862)poetry collection
- Tijdkrans (1893)poetry collection
Key milestones
- 1854Ordained a Roman Catholic priest.
- 1886Translated Longfellow's 'The Song of Hiawatha' into Dutch.
- 1899Appointed chaplain of the English Convent in Bruges, where he died on 27 November.
Themes
Religious mysticismNatureFlanders and Flemish identityLanguage and dialectLiterary Impressionism
Sources: britannica.com · museabrugge.be · id.loc.gov