Mihalis Kazantzakis’s Parenting Methods

Mihalis Kazantzakis, Who Raised One of Greece's Greatest Literary Figures

Mihalis Kazantzakis was the father of Nikos Kazantzakis, the author of Zorba the Greek. The reason the great Greek literary figure Nikos gained fame was due to Mihalis's unique and firm educational philosophy. At the time, Greece was under Turkish rule, and nationalism was spreading, fueling the desire for independence in the hearts of the Greek people. Mihalis, who played a leading role in the independence movement, had his own method of instilling the greatness of Greek culture and spirit in his son, which later laid the foundation for Nikos’s works depicting the resistance of Greeks against the Turks.

Teaching Independence in Their Own Way

Mihalis fought as part of an armed resistance group for Greece’s independence from Turkey. Although he sent his family to the safety of Naxos Island in southern Greece to protect them from the Turkish army, he enrolled his bright son Nikos in a French school. The day before parting from his son, Mihalis walked with him through an orchard and told him about their family's long tradition of fighting for Greece’s independence. He advised Nikos to use his intellect instead of physical combat for contributing to the independence movement. He insisted that if Nikos did not study for the sake of his country, there was no need for him to study at all. As Nikos continued his studies in France and learned more about the conflict between Greece and Turkey, he realized that there was a broader worldview beyond that struggle. He discovered that all humans fight for freedom, not just Greeks. This understanding later became a significant theme in his novels.

A Father Supportive of His Son’s Intellectual Journey

Nikos began traveling a year after starting university. What he learned and experienced during these travels became the foundation for his emergence as a great Greek writer. Mihalis was sometimes discontented with his son wandering during his twenties, but he believed that his son gained much from these travels and did not stop him. Nikos’s Report to Greco, written shortly before his death, contains profound reflections on his youthful travels and explorations. In this way, Mihalis showed immense trust in his son’s chosen path, allowing Nikos to write the renowned works that followed.

 

Mihalis's passionate desire for Greece’s independence was passed on to his son. He encouraged Nikos to find a way to contribute to the nation in the manner that suited him best. Nikos's literary achievements gained him worldwide recognition and reintroduced Greece to the world.

 

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