Peter Wessel Zapffe

Peter Wessel Zapffe (December 18 1899-October 12 1990) was a Norwegian author and philosopher. He was born in Tromsø and was well known for his somewhat pessimistic view of human existence. His basic thoughts about the error of human existence are presented in the essay, The Last Messiah (original: Den sidste Messias 1933). This essay is a shorter version of his best-known work, the philosophical treatise, On the Tragic (original: Om det tragiske 1941).

Greater works

• Om det tragiske (en. On the tragic), Oslo 1941 og 1983.
• Vett og uvett. Stubber fra Troms og Nordland (en. Wits and witless) by Einar K. Aas and P.W Zapffe, Trondheim 1942.
• Den fortapte sønn, En dramatisk gjenfortælling (en. The lost son, a dramatic renarration), Oslo 1951.
• Indføring i litterær dramaturgi (en. Introduction to literary dramaturgy), Oslo 1961.
• Den logiske sandkasse (en. The logical sandpit), Oslo 1965.
• Essays og epistler, 1967
• Barske gleder, 1969
• Lyksalig pinsefest (en. Blissful Pentecost), Oslo 1972.
• Hos doktor Wangel (en. With dr. Wangel), by Ib Henriksen (pseudonym.), Oslo 1974. Play.
• Rikets hemmelighet (en. The secret of the kingdom), Oslo 1985.
• Hvordan jeg blev så flink, 1986