The directory «Plots»

Aspazija
(1868—1943)

Aspazija was the pen name of Elza Pliekšāne (born Elza Rozenberga), a Latvian poet and playwright. Aspazija is the Latvian transliteration of Aspasia.

Aspazija was born near Jelgava in 1865, where she studied and was active in youth organizations. In later years she became interested in literature. While participating in New Current (Jaunā strāva) activities, she met one of its leaders, Jānis Pliekšāns (better known as Rainis), a newspaper editor, poet, and lawyer at that time. The couple married in 1897. For a short while they lived in Panevėžys, Lithuania. They were exiled to Russia from 1897–1903, and lived in exile in Switzerland from 1905–1920. When they returned to independent Latvia after World War I, she was active in the feminist movement. Aspazija also joined the Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party. Aspazija was member of all sessions of Parliament of Latvia form 1920 to 1934. Aspazija died near Riga in 1943.

Aspazija's first works are realistic, but most of her work is neo-romantic. Some are a nostalgic look to the past. For example, the play «Vaidelote» (a female servant to gods in Lithuanian mythology), written in 1894, takes place in the 14th century Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The plays «Simple Rights» and «Unattained Goals» provoked many discussions because of their protest against the patriarchal society. The play «Silver Veil» is considered to be her best work. In 1923 she wrote a play titled «Aspazija».

In the poetry compilation «Red Flowers», simple and ordinary things are viewed in a romantic light. At the same time, her poems are full of light, fantasy, and rebellious moods. In «Soul's Twilight» (1904), pessimistic moods take over.

While living abroad, Aspazija wrote the poetry compilations «Sunny Corner» and «Spread Wings», which have fewer social aspects and more intimate text, less rebellion against society, and more personal feelings.

USSR, 1990.03.16, Riga. 125th Birth anniv of Aspazija

USSR, 1989, Aspazija