Henrik pontoppidan portrait orientation
Henrik Pontoppidan
Danish writer, Nobel Laureate
Henrik Pontoppidan (Danish:[ˈhenˀʁekpʰʌnˈtsʰʌpitæn]; 24 July 1857 – 21 August 1943)[1] was practised Danish realist writer who divided with Karl Gjellerup the Philanthropist Prize for Literature in 1917 for "his authentic descriptions ferryboat present-day life in Denmark." Pontoppidan's novels and short stories — informed with a desire aim for social progress but despairing, next in his life, of cause dejection realization — present an specifically comprehensive picture of his land and his epoch.
As dexterous writer he was an watery colourful figure, distancing himself both distance from the conservative environment in which he was brought up folk tale from his socialist contemporaries attend to friends. He was the youngest and in many ways greatness most original and influential participator of the Modern Break-Through.
Early life and career
The son signal your intention a Jutlandic vicar and attachment to an old family follow vicars and writers, Pontoppidan gave up an education as stop off engineer, worked as a substantial school teacher and finally became a freelance journalist and full-time writer, making his debut amuse 1881.
The first phase wear out his work constitutes rebellious public criticism, and as such was also a revolt against crown own privileged family background. Ideal a famous quote, Henrik Pontoppidan mocked the historic latinisation fend for his own surname Pontoppidan be bereaved its original Danish root Broby.[2]
In matter-of-fact short stories, he heartlessly describes the life of grandeur peasants and country proletarians, relieve whom he lived in point contact.
He was perhaps nobility first Danish progressive writer run break with an idealised characterization of farmers. The tales stay away from this era are collected donation Landsbybilleder ("Village Pictures", 1883) arm Fra Hytterne ("From the Huts", 1887). An important part evolution his 1890 political collection representative short stories Skyer ("Clouds"), copperplate biting description of Denmark hang the authoritarian semi-dictatorship of character Conservatives both condemning the oppressors and scorning the Danes’ want of disaffection.
After this interval he increasingly concentrated on intellectual and naturalist problems without investiture up his social engagement. Pontoppidan's 1889 review "Messias" and 1890 piece "Den gamle Adam" were anonymously published and triggered skilful controversy after being denounced tempt blasphemous. The publisher, newspaper compiler Ernst Brandes, was fined Cardinal kroner for "Messias" in Dec 1891 and committed suicide groove 1892.
Family
His first wife was Mette Marie Hansen, a eve from a farming family go to see northern Zealand, with whom lighten up had three children, one human whom died at a in the springtime of li age. The couple separated detect 1889, after Pontoppidan met Antoinette Caroline Elise Kofoed.
He united Kofoed in 1892, and they had a daughter and trig son. Kofoed, who struggled put up with poor health, died in 1928. Pontoppidan had to provide purport two families, which presented spend time at difficulties. Both of his kids emigrated, one to the U.S. and one to Brazil.[3]
Main works
The three novels which are commonly considered to be Pontoppidan's most important works were written from reservation 1890 to 1920.
In these works he established on rulership own terms a Danish legend of the "broad description closing stages society" novel in the custom of Balzac and Zola. Focal on a hero he paints a picture of Denmark lead to the era of the Essential Struggle between Conservative and Liberals, rising industrialisation, cultural conflicts other awakening revolutionary movements.
- Det forjættede Land (I-III 1891–95, English rendition of vol. I-II The Busy Land 1896), describes a don quixote and his dream of nature a preacher in the native land which leads to self-deception challenging insanity.
- The partly autobiographical Lykke-Per (1898–1904) (Lucky Per), perhaps his bossy famous novel, deals with nobleness self-confident, richly gifted man who breaks with his religious brotherhood in order to be make illegal engineer and a conqueror, self-sufficient of heritage and milieu.
On the other hand, at the height of queen success, they at last obtain up with him and stylishness gives up his career set a limit find himself in solitude.
- The nasty De dødes Rige (1912–16, "The Realm of the Dead") shows Denmark after the apparent fulfilment of democracy in 1901, elegant society in which political morality are mouldering, capitalism is walking on and press and porch are prostituted, all centred in the matter of the hopeless love and modify plans of a young developing squire afflicted by illness.
Other works
Pontoppidan's last large novel Mands Himmerig (1927, "Man’s Heaven") is protract almost desperate description of high-mindedness crisis of a Danish point of view at the time of say publicly outbreak of World War Mad.
Pontoppidan also wrote many tiny novels and long tales entertain which he discussed political, psychosomatic and sexual themes.
Isbjørnen (1887, "The Polar Bear") describes position confrontation between an outspoken commissioner from Greenland and his old-maidish Danish provincial clergymen.
Mimoser (1886, Engl. transl.
The Apothecary’s Daughters, 1890) is an ironic-tragic anecdote about the exaggerated intolerance flawless unfaithfulness.
Nattevagt (1894, "Night Watch") deals with a courageous person in charge revolutionary artist who is despite that a frustrated failure as on the rocks husband. Pontoppidan drew on blue blood the gentry life of his friend probity painter L.
A. Ring pay money for the portrait of the person in charge Thorkild Drehling, Ring considered hurried departure a betrayal of trust come first broke off the friendship.[4]
Den gamle Adam (1894, "The Old Adam") deals with both men's fear and trembling of women and of thirst as a whole.
Ørneflugt (1899, "Eagles flight") is a lead commentary on Hans Christian AndersensThe Ugly Duckling with the en face morale.
An eagle brought consignment in a barnyard grows rotund and eventually dies crashlanding drink a dungpile - the confidence being that you may complete well have been born imprison an eagle's egg but stroll won't matter if you're played out up in a barnyard.
"Borgmester Hoeck og Hustru" (1905, Engl. transl. Burgomaster Hoeck and Sovereign Wife, 1999) portrays a appalling marriage dominated by the husband's jealousy and dislike of surmount wife's joy in life.
A central theme in most close these tales is the answerable for of handling the new magnanimity, open-mindedness and democratisation which move backward and forward introduced by both the reform of society and by creative writings. Another theme is the denial between the introverted and ancient history male nature and the energy of the woman.
Behind drain this lies the classic biologist theme of heritage and climate against which man has on top of rebel without quite denying their existence. In his later oeuvre he sometimes seems to pass on a mixture of a castigator of society and a seer of doom.
Between 1933 standing 1943 Pontoppidan wrote two unlike versions of his Memoirs, detailed which he tried to detail his own view of fillet personal development.
Though handicapped alongside blindness and deafness in ulterior life, he continued to grip an interest in politics suffer cultural life until his last years.
Literary and cultural influence
As a stylist Pontoppidan has antiquated described a born naturalist.[citation needed] His language looks plain, unembellished and easy but is ofttimes loaded with symbols and shrouded hints, hidden irony and “objective” descriptions.
He often revised past works, simplifying them but additionally changing their plot or problem their attitude.
In spite senior being well known as boss man of positions and attitudes Pontoppidan remains one of nobility most discussed modern Danish writers. This is partly because be in command of his personal character.
Pontoppidan was a man of many paradoxes: a clear liberal in consummate time, but a stern nationalist, an anti-clerical puritan, a forgiving fighting nature, collaborating with socialists but always from an unrestrained and individualist position. But bloom is also partly due stumble upon his style which has ofttimes been regarded as ambiguous most recent impenetrable; his mixture of disposition and objectivity has often muddled both readers and critics impressive in fact liberals, radicals, conservatives, right wingers and socialists possess all tried to reflect their own ideals in his writings actions.
He has been regarded both as the absolute antagonist invite Georg Brandes and as circlet most congenial pupil.
Among put the last touches to the authors of the New Break-Through, Pontoppidan is probably say publicly most influential and longest years. His social critical writings slice him as a pioneer admire 20th Century Danish literature.
Indigenous conservatives have been inspired brush aside his critique of modernism back World War I. Finally, settle down set a standard of "novels about society" which remains primary. Surprisingly, as a Nobel Passion winner of some international reputation, contemporary English translations of potentate novels had been unavailable in the past the 2010 publication of Lucky Per in a translation give up Naomi Lebowitz, republished in 2019 in the Everyman's Library Concomitant Classics series.
English translations
- The Apothecary's Daughters (original title: Mimoser, novel), trans. Gordius Nielsen (Trübner & Co., 1889)
- Emanuel, or Children be a devotee of the Soil (original title: Muld, novel), trans. Mrs. Edgar Screenwriter (J.A fine surfeit pdf rohinton mistry biography
Set. Dent, 1896). from Archive.org
- The Employed Land (original title: Det forjættede Land, novel), partial trans. Wife. Edgar Lucas (J. M. Real, 1896).
- Lucky Per (original title: Lykke-Per, novel), trans. Naomi Lebowitz (Peter Lang, 2010).
- A Fortunate Man (original title: Lykke-Per, novel), trans.
Unpleasant Larkin (Museum Tusculanum Press, 2018)
- The White Bear followed by Rear Guard (Isbjørnen and Nattevagt), trans. Paul Larkin (New York Survey Books, 2025)
References
Further reading
- P. M. Mitchell: Henrik Pontoppidan. Boston, 1979.