The term Heptanese school of literature (Greek: Επτανησιακή Σχολή, lit. 'school of the Seven Islands'; also known as the Ionian school) denotes the literary production of the Ionian Islands' literature figures from the late 18th century till the end of the 19th century. The center of this production is considered to be the poet Dionysios Solomos, so its periods are conventionally divided as follows: Pre-Solomian poets (Προσολωμικοί ποιητές), Solomian poets, Post-Solomian poets, minors and descendants.
Some general traits of the Ionian style were:
the use of Dimotiki instead of Katharevousa (with some exceptions, mainly Kalvos),
the manifest influence that the contemporary Italian poets had in its thematology, that is regarding the depiction of real-life scenes,
a "romantic impulse" (also described as folkloric idealism),
an emphasis on the importance of love and freedom,
an appreciation of religion's role in man's life.
Hymn to Liberty (1823) by Dionysios Solomos (national anthem of Greece)
Vasilikos (1859), play by Antonios Matesis
The mysteries of Cephalonia (1872) by Andreas Laskaratos
Idou o anthropos (1886) by Andreas Laskaratos
Beaton, Roderick. "An Introduction to Modern Greek Literature", Oxford University Press, USA, 1999.
Πολίτης Λ., "Ιστορία της Νεοελληνικής Λογοτεχνίας" (History of Modern Greek Literature), XI ed., ed. Μ.Ι.Ε.Τ. (National Bank of Greece Cultural Foundation), Athens, 2001. (in Greek)
Lambert, Juliette (1880). "Poètes grecs contemporains: École ionienne" [Contemporary Greek Poets: Ionian School]. La Nouvelle Revue (in French). Paris. pp. 368–377. ISSN 0184-7465. Retrieved 30 June 2011.