George Zammit : the discovery of the self through a dialogue with nature

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation is to trace the development of George Zammit as a man and as a poet by examining the changes he goes through in his attitude towards his two main preoccupations - his relationship with God and the natural scenery of the Maltese Islands. In the course of this study other preoccupations emerged but these were either irrelevant to the personal theme (eg. the theme of patriotism) or they were of a very private nature and thus occurred less frequently, as did the theme of his personal philosophy of life. The chapters are divided according to the two main themes. The first gives a brief biography of the author to serve as a background for the later study. The second chapter, is a detailed study of the poet's developing relationship with his God. It also includes a study of the religious metaphor he uses in the light of both his upbringing and of the role of prophet which he took upon himself. The third and final chapter examines the role nature plays in Zammit's poetry as a source of inspiration, as a symbol in its many forms and as that agent which ultimately gives him a strong sense of identity. The poems studied are the collection that appears in Poeziji - 1980.