Alexiou, Elli (c. 1898–1986)

Greek novelist, playwright, and teacher. Name variations: Elly Alexioy. Born in Herakleion, Crete, around 1898; died in 1986; daughter of a prominent journalist; sister of Galateia Kazantzaki (a Greek novelist); studied at Sorbonne in Paris, France; married Vasso Daskalakios (a Greek writer).

Selected novels:

Hard Struggles for a Short Life (1931); The Third Christian School for Girls (1934); Louben (1940); Tributaries (1956); Spondi (1963); And So On (1965); That He May Be Great (1966); The Reigning One (1972); Demolished Mansions (1977). Play: A Day in the Secondary School (1973).

Elli Alexiou was a Greek writer and teacher whose work spanned the greater part of the 20th century. In addition to the fact that Alexiou spent much of her time devoted to various educational committees, her literary accomplishments are impressive. She frequently combined a deep understanding of human psychology with a critical eye toward the social climates of her surroundings. Her collective works are contained in a series of ten volumes, and the collection spans a variety of topics.

Alexiou was born around 1898 in Herakleion, Crete, to a literary family. Early in her life, she traveled to Athens where she studied for a career in education and interacted with a variety of progressive writers. After securing her qualifications as a teacher, she worked at a girls' high school and gathered the material for one of her early novels, The Third Christian School for Girls (1934). In 1928, Alexiou became a member of the Greek Communist Party and remained involved with various left-wing enterprises throughout her life.

During World War II, she participated in a Communist resistance group. In 1945, she received a scholarship to study at the Sorbonne in Paris, France. While there, she taught her native language to the Greek community in Paris. During the 1950s, Alexiou, deprived of her Greek citizenship, lived in several countries of Eastern Europe. A theme of exile is reflected in a great deal of her literature. In 1962, she returned to Greece and lived there for the remainder of her life. Elli Alexiou died in 1986, although some dispute about the actual date remains.

M. C. English , M.A., Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts