Dox (poet) facts for kids

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Born	Jean Verdi Salomon Razakandraina (1913-01-13)13 January 1913 Manankavaly, Madagascar
Died	14 June 1978(1978-06-14) (aged 65) Antananarivo, Madagascar
Occupation	Poet, writer
Nationality	Malagasy
Literary movement	Romanticism

Jean Verdi Salomon Razakandraina (1913–1978), known as Dox, was a famous writer and poet from Madagascar. He is one of the most important literary figures in his country's history. Dox was best known for his amazing poems and plays. He was also a painter, a musician who wrote and performed songs, and a translator. He translated many important works from French and English language into the Malagasy language. Since Madagascar became independent in 1960, Dox's works have been taught in schools at all levels.

Dox started writing in 1930 while studying art in Antananarivo. His friends there gave him the nickname "Dox." In 1932, he decided to focus completely on art. He joined other Malagasy poets in a movement called Mitady ny very, which means "search for lost values." This group wanted to celebrate Malagasy identity, which had been weakened by French colonial rule. In 1941, Dox published his first book of poems, Ny Hirako, written in Malagasy. He supported nationalist movements and even got hurt during a protest in 1947. He also took part in student protests in 1972. In 1971, he published his only collection of French poems, Chants Capricorniens. Throughout his life, Dox wrote nine poetry books, many prose books, and sixteen plays. These plays were often about folk tales, Bible stories, or Malagasy history.

People loved Dox's work because it mixed romanticism with traditional Malagasy poetry and proverbs. He helped lead the way in promoting Malagasy arts. He co-founded the Union of Malagasy Poets and Writers and an association called Tsiry, which helped young Malagasy artists publish their work. Dox also served as President of the Committee of United Malagasy Artists and was a member of the Malagasy Academy. He passed away in Antananarivo on June 14, 1978.

Dox's Life Story
Dox's Writing Style
Dox's Lasting Impact
Works by Dox
See also

Dox's Life Story

Growing Up in Madagascar

Jean Verdi Salomon Razakandraina was born on January 13, 1913, in Manankavaly, Madagascar. His family was Christian and came from a noble background. His father was a doctor who traveled a lot. When Dox was young, he was often sick. His mother moved with him to Antsirabe and asked her father to teach him. Dox's grandfather was a farmer and a teacher. He taught Dox basic school subjects, Malagasy proverbs and stories, and about Christianity. He also taught Dox how to paint and play music.

Dox's grandfather also shared stories about their royal family and the history of the Anjanapara valley. This early learning made Dox love his homeland, respect old traditions, and appreciate the beauty of the Malagasy countryside.

In 1930, Dox started studying at the École des Beaux-Arts (Fine Arts School) in Antananarivo. The next year, he moved to Paul Minault middle school. This was a famous private school known for its smart and creative students. Teachers like the nationalist poet Pastor Ravelojaona taught there. The school encouraged students to read and research on their own, then discuss their ideas. This helped Dox discover many French writers like Victor Hugo and Charles Baudelaire. At this school, he got two nicknames: Sorajavona ("colors of the clouds") and later Dox. The name Dox came from both the English word "ox" and "paradox."

The school had a student newspaper where Dox published his first poems. They were in the romantic style and explored themes of love and desire. He also wrote and put on his first plays. Even though his plays were popular, his father wanted him to study medicine, so Dox's first theater group had to stop.

Early Writing Career

Dox decided not to study medicine. Instead, he chose agriculture, which gave him more time to write poetry. He moved to Mandoto, worked as a farmer, and kept developing his writing. There, he met Perle Razanabololona. They got married and started a family.

In 1932, Dox joined other important Malagasy poets in the Mitady ny very movement. This movement aimed to bring back and celebrate Malagasy identity and culture from before colonial times. Many of the poems Dox wrote in Mandoto were published in literary magazines in Antananarivo. In 1941, he published his first collection of poems, Ny Hirako. When a big nationalist uprising happened in 1947, Dox supported the Mouvement démocratique de la rénovation malgache. He was even shot during a protest.

Later Life and Works

In the years that followed, Dox faced sadness as he lost two of his children, his father, and then his wife in 1954. He stopped farming and focused entirely on writing. He often sold newspapers to earn money. He even started his own newspaper, Sakaizan'ny Mpianatra, but it didn't last long.

In 1952, Dox helped create the Union of Malagasy Poets and Writers (UPEM). He also co-founded Tsiry, a group that helped young Malagasy writers publish their works. In the early 1960s, Dox translated three major French novels into Malagasy: El Cid (1961), Horace (1962), and Andromaque (1964). He sometimes left out parts of the stories he thought wouldn't fit well with Malagasy culture. His poetry was so popular and good that the Ministry of Education included it in the national school curriculum after Madagascar gained independence in 1960.

In 1971, Dox published Chants Capricorniens, his only collection of poems in French. He was very active in the student protests of 1972 that led to the fall of the Tsiranana government. He wrote poems and appeared at protests to support the people's cause. He used his art to speak up for those who were struggling. During this time, he wrote and performed many songs, often with famous musicians. Many of these songs became classics.

Dox became President of the Committee of United Malagasy Artists and Vice President of the Andrianampoinimerina Academy. He then became a member of the Malagasy Academy in 1975.

On June 14, 1978, Dox had an accident on a stairway in Antananarivo. He lost his balance and died from his injuries. He is buried in his family tomb in Anjanapara, near Antsirabe.

Dox's Writing Style

Dox's poetry can be divided into two main types. The first type describes everyday life with simple words and short verses. These poems often remind people of traditional Malagasy poetry called hainteny, which focuses on feelings of longing and looking back at the past. The second type of poem explores big ideas about identity and uses many Malagasy proverbs and symbols from Madagascar. Both types of poems showed the feelings and ideas of romanticism. Most of Dox's poems were written as sonnets. He often wrote poems on the spot and gave them to friends or people he met.

His work often explored the idea of "Malagasy love." Themes of Malagasy identity and the beauty of everyday life were also very important in his writing. According to writer François-Xavier Razafimahatratra, Dox used these themes to share his own view of the world and to teach the Malagasy people through his poetry.

Dox wrote a lot during his career. He created nine poetry books, many prose books, and sixteen plays. His plays were based on Bible stories, Malagasy history, and folk tales. He also wrote plays for special requests, like for Boy Scout groups, but many of these are now lost. His translations of French novels into Malagasy were very important. They brought new ways of storytelling to Malagasy literature and showed other writers that the Malagasy language could be used for any kind of writing.

Dox's Lasting Impact

The Dictionnaire universel des littératures (a big book about world literature) from 1994 called Dox the "Verlaine or Baudelaire of Madagascar." This means he was as important to Malagasy literature as these famous poets were to French literature. Dox's works have been part of the school curriculum in Madagascar, from elementary school to university, since the country became independent in 1960. Many of the songs Dox wrote and performed are still considered classic songs in Madagascar today.

Works by Dox

Poetry

Ny Hirako. 1941.
Hira Va? Antananarivo: Imprimerie Faneva, 1949; Imarivolanitra, 1970.
Rakimalala. Antananarivo: Imprimerie Mazava, 1955.
Ny Fitiavany. 1957.
Fahatsiarovan-tena. 1958.
Telomiova. 1959.
Folihala. 1968.
Dindona Fitia. 1973; 2005.
Chants Capricorniens. 1975; Éditions du CIDST, 1991; 1995.

Plays

Amboninkazo. 1945.
Apokalipsy. 1957.
Amina Batsola, tantara mampangitakitaka nisy marina tokoa taminʹny andron-dRanavalona III. Antananarivo: Imprimerie Mazava, 1957.
Mavo Handray Fanjakana. 1958.
Tsimihatsaka. 1960.
Savik'Ombalahy. 1960.
Ny Ombalahibemaso. 1960.
Ny Andron'Andrianampoinimerina. 1961.
Andriamihaja. 1961.
Rasalama Martiora. 1961.
Rainandriamampandry. 1962.
Ataon-karena inona aho? Bedohoka sy Rondro ary Imalo. 1962.
Varavaran'ny Fahazavana. 1968.
Tritriva. (sd).
Ravahiny Maritiora. (sd).
Estera. (sd).

Prose (Stories and Books)

Izy Mirahavavy. 1946; 1967; 2005.
Solemita, na Tsantan-ny fitia (namboarina tamin-ny tononkiran-i Solomona). Antananarivo: Imprimerie Faneva, 1949.
Izy Mirahalahy. 1958.
Mangidy nefa mamy. 1962.
Iarivo. 1965.
Voninkazon'ny tanteraka. Antananarivo: Imprimerie Mazava, 1955.

Music Recordings

Fo mihira, UPEM-HAVATSA poets reciting the works of Dox. Audio CD. France, 2006.
Dox, Sorajavona. Audio CD. Label Bleu, Antananarivo.

Translations by Dox

From French to Malagasy

El Cid, Pierre Corneille: Ilay Andrianina, performed in 1958, published in 1965.
Horace, Pierre Corneille.
Polyeucte, Pierre Corneille.
Andromaque, Racine: Ny Avelon'ny vady lalaina sa ny Ain'ny menaky ny aina?

From English to Malagasy

Itomanio, ry fireneko (Cry, the Beloved Country), Alan Paton, (1958).
Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare (sd).