Norwegian literature

Norwegian Literature

Rebirth

Two major events precipitated a major resurgence in Norwegian literature. In 1811 a Norwegian university was established in Christiania (later named Oslo). Seized by the spirit of revolution following the American and French Revolutions, as well as bridling as a result of the forced separation from Denmark and subordination to Sweden subsequent to the Napoleonic wars, Norwegians signed their first constitution in 1814. Virtually immediately the cultural backwater that was Norway brought forth a series of strong authors recognized first in Scandinavia, and then worldwide.

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Henrik Wergeland is generally recognized as the father of a new Norwegian literature. The enthusiastic nationalism of Wergeland and his young following brought conflict with the establishment, which was unwilling to accept everything as good, simply because it was Norwegian.

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This period also saw collection of Norwegian folk tales by Peter Asbjørnsen and Bishop Jorgen Moe. This collection, which paralleled those by the Brothers Grimm in Germany and Hans Christian Andersen in Denmark, captured an important overview of the folk culture of the mountains and fjords.

Related Topics:
Peter Asbjørnsen - Jorgen Moe - Brothers Grimm - Hans Christian Andersen

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At least as important in the creation of a Norwegian literature was the effort to introduce a pure Norwegian language, based on the dialects spoken in the areas more isolated from capital. The genius of Ivar Aasen (1813-1898), was at the heart of this effort. Ivar Aasen, a self-taught linguistic scholar and philologist, documented a written grammar and dictionary for the spoken Norwegian folk language, which became Nynorsk (New Norwegian) ? the ?speech of the country? as opposed to the official language largely imported from Denmark. Nynorsk is one of the two official Norwegian languages to this day.

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National Romantic Period

By the late 19th century, in a flood or nationalistic romanticism, the four great emerged, Henrik Ibsen, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, Alexander Kielland, and Jonas Lie. A unity of purpose pervades the whole period, creation of a national culture based on the almost forgotten and certainly neglected past, as well as celebration of the Bonde Kultur or Norwegian farm culture. The realism of Kielland (e.g., Skipper Worse) gave way to the romantic and nationalistic spirit which swept Europe rekindled and the Norwegian interest in their glorious Viking past (e.g., Ibsen?s The Vikings at Helgeland), the struggles of the middle ages (e.g., Ibsen?s Lady Inger of Østeraad), peasant stories (e.g., Bjørnson?s A Happy Boy) and the wonders of myths and folks tales of the mountains (e.g., Ibsen?s Per Gynt) and the sea (e.g., Lie?s The Visionary).

Related Topics:
Henrik Ibsen - Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson - Alexander Kielland - Jonas Lie - Norwegian farm culture - Viking - Middle ages

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Transition to Realism

Although a stong contributor to early Norwegian romanticism, Henrik Ibsen is perhaps best known as an influential Norwegian playwright who was largely responsible for the popularity of modern realistic drama in Europe, with plays like The Wild Duck and The Doll's House. In this, he built on a theme first evident in Norway with plays like Bjørnson's A Bankruptcy.

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