Kostis (Constantine) Palamas (1859-1943) was one of the most important poets of modern Greece. In addition to poetry, he wrote short stories, plays, and several volumes of literary and cultural criticism.
Palamas was born in Patras (NW Peloponnese) on January 13, 1859. His father was a judge, and Kostis was the second surviving child among four brothers and sisters, two of whom died in childhood. After the tragic death of both his father and mother within a few weeks from each other in 1866, Palamas moved to Messolonghi to live with his uncle, Demetrios Palamas, a well-educated man. Messolonghi had a rich history of resistance during the Greek War of Independence in the nineteenth century, such as the siege of the city in 1826; it was also the place where Lord Byron, the romantic
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Citation: Gounaridou, Kiki. "Kostis Palamas". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 26 October 2010 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=12264, accessed 06 October 2024.]