Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-04-27
PJORN. RJORNSON,
NORWEGIAN POET,
DIES IN FRANCE

PARIS. April 21.-Bjornstjerne Bjorn-
son, the Norwegian poet and novelist,
is dead here. Paralysis had halted his
pen months ago.
To the world at large Bjornson was
known as a delightful novelist and
poet. But to the Norwegians he has
been far more than that He has been
not only their national poet and their
foremost novelist and dramatist, but
he has been their most eloquent n
popular orator, their greatest reformer,
and altogether their strongest intel
lectual force. No man ever beloved
Norway more than he; no man ever
did more b he for her progress and
prosperity. To promote her welfare
he unweariedly applied all the power
of his great genius.
4 B~jornson's career from the very be-
ginning of his student days was a tur-
bulent one. A republican of r%epubll-
cans, his early years were spent princi-
pally in lodging jails n writing
problem books. Years. ago he was
given a Jail sentence for treason, but
escaped and fed to Germany. This
episode In the career of the famous
WV ion ~ IA u p1NNNA 1APP4N~
with the late King Oscar.
Bjornson- was not a mere poet and
dreamer. He never held himself aloof
from the people. Throughout his active
career he personally, with tongue and
pen, engaged In every political, social
and literary COMBAT of his time.
Through his ardent advocacy of re-
form he brought upon himself the
wrath of many, but the gratitude of
more.
Bjornson a born at Kvikne (Oster-
dalen, Norway, December 8, 1882.
1t was soon after he left college that
he won his first success in literature.
He composed a historic drama that was
accepted for presentation by the direc-
tors of the Royal Theatre at Chris
tiania. By the time he was "a years
old he had become quite a leader
among the young men of the Norwe-
gian capital. In the year 1856 he was
instrumental in driving from the Nor
wegian stage the Danish actors, whose
presence and influence were an offense
to his patriotism.
He attended the Swedish University
at Upsala, and this was followed by a
year of residence and study in Copen-
hagen. For two years, from 1857 to
1883, Bjornson was director of the the
atre at Bergen, n afterward he held
the same position at Christiania.
Bjornson's first real literary success
was, perhaps, his greatest and most
abiding one. This was his "Synnove
Solbakken" (Synnove Sunny HID
which was published in a weekly
periodical in 1857. 1t has been trans
lated into almost every language o.
Europe. Other tales Of his s~carcei,
less popular are "Arne' (1S5S), a tai,
of country life; "A Merry Lad" q8so)
The Fisher Maiden Qs6s), and 9TH,
Bridal March (1s77). In 1883 appeared
THE Heritage of the Kurts,' Bjorn
sons greatest novel and the most Wig
orous work Of fiction yet produced IL
modern Scandinavian literature;
prose epic. depicting the fall, the degra
datton and the final resurrection o
a family for generations cursed by al
inherited tendency to ~evil-doing.
Btornson's dramatic work shows bes
on the stage. AS literature it does no
rank so high as his tales, and yet it
infinitely stronger and Is much NOR
intense and impressive. His first tire
dramas, when originally produced, wer
not SO popular as they subsequently be
came. These were "Limping Hulda
ds5s), Between the Battles'' 1850
and King Sverre" dS61). Bjcrnson'
next dramatic production. "sigur
tSiembe, ds62), was an immediate an
distinct success.