Jānis Rainis: Poetry that moves the masses 

Over time he’s caused both love and hate, admiration and disgust, while rarely anyone can stay neutral. There’s a street named after him in most cities of Latvia and his resting place is a work of art, in a cemetery that’s named after Rainis himself. Nearly 100 years after his death journalists and historians are still trying to put together the puzzle of who Jānis Pliekšāns was and why he is considered to be one of the most important people in the history of Latvia.

The intellectual hooligan

Take everything as it really is! Make everything ideal as you want!
Jānis Rainis

Already during his youth, Rainis showed signs of perfectionism. He had the highest of standards for himself and thus also the world around him. After law studies in University of St. Petersburg, Rainis spent 3 years working as a lawyer’s assistant in Vilnius (Lithuania) and Jelgava (Latvia) while later concentrating on his role as an editor for local newsletter – “Dienas Lapa”. None of this saved him from the grasps of reality in which he was living in at the time, however.

Being a naive and brave perfectionist, Rainis wasn’t afraid to stand up for his beliefs, speak out and form alliances with an aim to help turn Latvia into a modernly thinking, democratic and independent republic. Unfortunately for him, this was around the time of 1900, when Latvia was still a part of the Tsarist Russian Empire. It didn’t take long for the authorities to start noticing Rainis as a threat and thus he was arrested, imprisoned and sent out of the country for five years.

This didn’t seem to affect his dedication, however. Quite the opposite, in fact. During this time Rainis started translating Goethe’s “Faust” to Latvian, which was later on finished with the help of his wife – Aspazija (Elza Rozenberga). Jānis continued translating works of the modern international literature while also publishing his own first poetry book – “Tālas noskaņas zilā vakarā”. Then after the sentence had been served, he came back to Latvia in 1903. Just in time to become one of the most active participants of the big revolution in 1905.

Latvian poet living in Swiss mountains

Who knows what they want, can do what they want.
Jānis Rainis

Life didn’t get much easier for Rainis after the revolution. He published his second poetry book “Fire and Night” dedicated to the events of 1905. It quickly sparked up controversial debates so fearing another imprisonment, both Rainis and Aspazija decided to flee to Switzerland. They stayed there for 15 years, Rainis wrote multiple plays, poems and songs. In all of them – a great love and longing for home can be sensed flowing through each word and letter.

But through this painful period Rainis established himself as an important literary figure outside Latvia and on the European literary scenery. Thanks to philosophical works like “Golden Horse” (1909), “Indulis and Ārija” (1912) and “Pūt, Vējiņi!” (1914), Rainis started becoming what he is known as today – a 20^th century visionary and one of the most innovative European writers at the time. He was even nominated for the Nobel prize in literature but unfortunately didn’t end up receiving it.

Although away from his home and people, Rainis together with Aspazija continued the relentless battle towards democratic standards and a better world. So much so that when they returned to an already independent Latvia, thousands of locals flooded the streets and greeted them back with flowers as national heroes.

The love of a woman who woke Rainis up

The mind is the husband and master, ruled by his wife — the feeling.
Jānis Rainis

Aspazija to Rainis was like a bee is to a flower. For him to blossom fully, she was willing to give everything. All of her time, energy and life as a whole. It’s believed that translating “Faust” was actually Aspazija’s idea. When he was first locked up in prison, Rainis started losing his mind. Legend goes that Aspazija decided to use work as a tool for saving the fragile poet, even threatening him that she will stop bringing food if he doesn’t write a particular amount of words per day.

Now although we can’t know if this is entirely true, one thing we know for sure. Rainis needed Aspazija to reach his full potential. During their years in Switzerland, Aspazija sacrificed herself as an artist and partly as a woman too, so that Rainis may fulfill his dreams of becoming one of the literary world’s greats. He wanted to be the Nobel prize winner and the first president of Latvia. With the help of Aspazija he got quite close to achieving these ambitious dreams.

It wasn’t what most would see as a happy marriage. Although it lasted for 32 years up until the death of Rainis, for the most of this time Aspazija filled the missing mother’s figure in great poets’ life. He was allowed to be deeply childish and naive, and it was great for his art but terrible for the relationship. He was always chasing a new much younger muse while she was dreaming about a man who would finally take care of her for a change. Nevertheless, as he wrote in his last book “Kastaņola” (1928): “Iniņa (Aspazija) stays the queen of my life. All the furthest poems are full of her. Glory to her talent.”

Two lives of Rainis

Only the enemy builds arrogance.
Jānis Rainis

As it usually goes with great minds, they tend to be more complicated and therefore, there’s often controversy building around such figures. Rainis was deeply hurt by his mother abandoning him as a child and he never got over it. He was extremely emotional and open about his feelings, therefore some of the things written in his diaries, poems and books have been questioned by many, whether the great poet was also a narcissistic, angry sociopath craving glory and power. There are even rumors of him being a pedophile.

He sure did enjoy spending time with children more than a regular person would. He was very open about his feelings towards his younger sister too. How he would like to hold her in his arms, kiss and hug her all the time. Similarly, he wrote during time in Switzerland about spending time with young shepherd girls and boys, having deep emotional connection with them, holding hands, laughing, and playing together. 

It’s easy to understand how someone could see these lines and imagine a grown man taking advantage of children but there’s really nothing to prove that. The only thing that has been proven is that Rainis was unfaithful to his wife, especially during later years. He believed that sleeping with younger women who admired his art would help him stay young forever. But that’s really no surprise knowing that their marriage was entirely platonic for most of the time. Nor is it uncommon throughout the history of humanity.

His political career is just as mysterious. After Jānis Čakste was named the first president of Latvia, Rainis felt betrayed. He was inducted as the minister of education but the frustration of once again being one step away from achieving his dream was too much. As a result, according to some journalists and historians, Rainis was lured into Soviet plans.

Death that still puzzles historians

 Life gives everything but for the price of death.
Jānis Rainis

Nothing really seemed like the life of Rainis was coming to an end. He seemed as strong and healthy as ever. Standing in his iconic bathing suit, enjoying the sea and sun touching the skin. It was just one day after his 64^th birthday that the great poet collapsed without further signs of life. In some reports, it’s said to be a heart failure while in others clotted blood vessels. And during the Soviet times, his case was hidden from the public eye which only makes things more suspicious.

And this only proves the greatness of Rainis. His work and life have inspired people and still do today, nearly a century after his death. And it’s not just writers and poets but journalists, politicians, lawyers, and historians too. His life itself is the greatest book that Rainis ever wrote and there’s no denying it. Perhaps it was a big mistake to put his fragile soul into the game of politics but then again – without his rebellious spirit and innovative thinking, Latvia might have never had enough inspiration to gain freedom in 1918.