A Straight and Unerring Line
A Straight and Unerring Line

Summary/Abstract: In this essay Nikos Chryssos explores the intellectual and creative journey of Nikos Kazantzakis, a towering figure in 20th-century Greek literature and philosophy. Kazantzakis engaged with a wide range of philosophical and ideological influences, including Nietzsche, Bergson, Darwin, and Eastern metaphysics, which shaped his distinctive worldview and literary output. His works reflect a profound struggle to reconcile opposing ideas such as nihilism and spirituality, as well as his quest for freedom, creative evolution, and existential meaning. The essay highlights key milestones in Kazantzakis’ intellectual life, including his formative education, his encounters with major thinkers, and his synthesis of diverse philosophical traditions. Central to his philosophy is a dynamic conception of God, characterized by a relentless pursuit of transcendence and creative freedom, which challenges orthodox religious dogma. The text also examines the dualistic and dialogical elements in his writing, exemplified in works such as Zorba the Greek, The Saviors of God, and Report to Greco, where metaphysical, theological, and existential questions are interwoven with vivid storytelling.

• Details
• Contents