Elsschot, Willem

Elsschot, Willem

▪ Belgian writer
pseudonym of  Alfons De Ridder 
born May 7, 1882, Antwerp, Belg.
died June 1, 1960, Antwerp

      Flemish novelist and poet, the author of a small but remarkable oeuvre, whose laconic style and ironic observation of middle-class urban life mark him as one of the outstanding Flemish novelists of the first half of the 20th century.

      Elsschot's first work, Villa des roses (1913; Eng. trans. Villa des roses), an exercise in the naturalism of the period, is set in a French boardinghouse. His two subsequent novels, De verlossing (1921; “The Deliverance”) and Lijmen (1924; Soft Soap), went virtually unnoticed; discouraged, he devoted himself to his business career and ceased writing until the 1930s. He published Kaas (“Cheese”) in 1933 and followed it with the novel Tsjip (“Cheep”) in 1934. Laarmans, who is the protagonist in Kaas, had been introduced in Lijmen, and he reappears in Pensioen (1937; “Pension”), De leeuwentemmer (1940; “The Lion Tamer”), and Elsschot's masterpiece, Het dwaallicht (1946; Will-o'-the-wisp), a fruitless search for a remote ideal in an urban setting. Laarmans is a sensitive person who repeatedly fails in business because of his honesty and human kindness.

      Elsschot's novels are caustic views of social realities, but a beam of sympathy diffuses the sardonic tone. What interests Elsschot is the drama latent in apparently ordinary situations. His poetry was published as Verzen van vroeger (1934; “Early Verse”) and Verzen (3rd ed. 1947). His collected works (Verzameld werk) were published in 1992 and his letters (Brieven), edited by V. Van de Reijt, in 1993.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Elsschot, Willem — pseud. di Ridder, Alfons Jozef de …   Sinonimi e Contrari. Terza edizione

  • Elsschot — Willem Elsschot, Pseudonym für Alfons Jozef de Ridder, (* 7. Mai 1882 in Antwerpen; † 31. Mai 1960 ebenda) war ein niederländischsprachiger Schriftsteller. Elsschot studierte in seiner belgischen Geburtsstadt auf Anraten seines älteren Bruders… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Willem Elsschot — Nom de naissance Alfons Jozef de Ridder Activités écrivain Naissance 7 mai 1882 Anvers, Bel …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Willem Elsschot — (1934) Willem Elsschot, Pseudonym für Alphonsus Josephus de Ridder, (* 7. Mai 1882 in Antwerpen; † 31. Mai 1960 ebenda) war ein niederländischsprachiger Schriftsteller. Leben Elsschot studierte in seiner belgischen Geburts …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Willem Elsschot — (7 May 1882 31 May 1960), was a Flemish writer and poet (pseudonym of Alfons Jozef De Ridder). Few of his works have been translated into English. Life Alfons Jozef was born in Antwerp to a baker s family. During secondary school, he developed a… …   Wikipedia

  • Elsschot —   [ ɛlsxɔt], Willem, eigentlich Alfons De Rịdder [də ], flämischer Schriftsteller, * Antwerpen 7. 5. 1882, ✝ ebenda 31. 5. 1960; schrieb in klarem Stil, mitunter mit ironischem Ton Gedichte, Erzählungen, Romane; schilderte das bürgerliche… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Alfons-Jozef de Ridder — Willem Elsschot Willem Elsschot (1934). Willem Elsschot, né à Anvers le 7 mai 1882 et mort dans la même ville le 31 mai 1960, était un écrivain et poète (dont le vrai nom est Alfons Jozef de Ridder) belge d expression… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Alfons Jozef de Ridder — Willem Elsschot Willem Elsschot (1934). Willem Elsschot, né à Anvers le 7 mai 1882 et mort dans la même ville le 31 mai 1960, était un écrivain et poète (dont le vrai nom est Alfons Jozef de Ridder) belge d expression… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Виллем Элсхот — Willem Elsschot Виллем Элсхот …   Википедия

  • Antorf — Antwerpen …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”