A Profile of Greek Australians Through their Literature

Abstract

This paper outlines the origin and development of the literature of the Greeks in Australia from the first efforts to the present. Although it has developed along the general lines found in other host countries, it has its own unique character and history. It can be divided into four periods; 1) the “Early Years” which did not produce any writers of literary merit in spite of the historical and cociological significance of their attempts; 2) the “Pre(Second World) War Years” which saw the first noteworthy Greek writers whose work exhibited a deep attachment to traditional themes of the immigrant experience, return to the birthplace, etc.; 3) the “War Years” which, apart from the always present traditional themes, gave rise to a nationalist trend in response to the struggle and resistance of Greece during the war; and 4) the period of “More Recent and Contemporary Developments” since the mid-1950’s which saw the advent of many poets and prose writers, some of whom had already been publishing in their places of origin and have become established in this country. This study also briefly presents the contribution of the first and second generation Greeks who write in English, most of whom have already gained a place in the Australian letters.