De wandelaar

poetry by Nijhoff

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July 15, 2026

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De wandelaar (1916), meaning "The Wanderer," is the first volume of poetry by Dutch poet Martinus Nijhoff. This collection is characterized by themes of isolation and noninvolvement, symbolized through grotesque figures and the prevalent imagery of the dance of death. The poems in De wandelaar suggest suicide as the only resolution to spiritual frustration. Nijhoff's early work, including this volume, demonstrates his profound command of poetic technique and his unique imagery, establishing him as a significant voice in Dutch literature.1

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Martinus Nijhoff
In his first volume, De wandelaar (1916; “The Wanderer”), his negative feelings of isolation and noninvolvement are symbolized in wildly grotesque figures, and the image of the dance of death is prevalent. The only solution to this spiritual frustration is suicide, as enacted in the short verse drama Pierrot…
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In his first volume, De wandelaar (1916; “The Wanderer”), his negative feelings of isolation and noninvolvement are symbolized in wildly grotesque figures, and the image of the dance of death is prevalent. The only solution to this spiritual frustration is suicide, as enacted in the short verse drama Pierrot…
Read More