Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1950-08-23
Denmark
Cultural Currents


tural movements. The old Nordic
people had a keen sense of the.
beauties of life, and many of their
literary and other artistic works
leave great impressions on the
mind, even in our days.
Literature in Denmark
This holds true of the oldest
Danish literature, an epic poetry
dating back to the period of the
great migrations around the year
500. The original texts have been
lost. but their ideas are retained
in the Ieelandic sagas from about
1900. and in the great historic
work Costa Danorum by the monk
Saxo EXAMINATIONS (died about
1904.
In the following centuries Dan
iSh literature is scanty. The most
abundant source of information
about medieval Denmark is the
folk songs (ballads), counterparts
of French troubadour poetry and
German minnesongs. Martin Lu-
theirs reformation, introduced in
Denmark by fire and the sword
in 1886, was followed by a rich
devotional literature, and in the
following century by great num-
Der of hymns. The most outStand-
ing psalmist was Thomas kingo
(16S4-1703).
Danish literature in the 18th
century was completely domin-
ated by Ludwig Holberg 16S4-
1754). the greatest classical auth
or in Scandinavia. His critical
and philosophical works were in
spired by the French encycloped-
lists and John Locke, and his con-
temporary satires by Swift. AS
comedy writer he is a direct des-
,cendant of Moliere. His best COM
edies enjoy International fame and
have often been performed on Ger
man and French stages: THE Poll
teal Tinker" "Jeppe' on the Hill"
Erasmus Montanus' English
translation: Comedies by Holberg,
N. Y. 1910. Holberg's contemp-
orary was Ewald. lyric and trag-
edv writer. who is the author of
the Danish Royal Anthem: king
Christian stood by the lofty
mast
The romantic period. called the
Golden Age, numbers outstanding
Danish authors: Adam Oehlensch-
lager (1779-1s50). the tragic poet
who revived Scandinavian saga lit
erature and wrote the national an
them Der err ct yndist land
(.There IS a lovely land }, in 1920;
the critic and dramatist J. L. Hell
berg: the founder OF the folk
schools. Y. F. 5. Grundtvig 1ls3-
1872. the poet-vicar Steen Steen-
Sen Blicher ll7s2-1s4s). Dennlarks
first great short story writer; q
selection Of his Jetland stories has
been published in English with an
introduction by Sigrld Undset N.
y. 1e45l
ish literature produced m 3 Y
names who hold natural place
in world literature, 50 natural II
deed that many people are not
aware Of their Danish origin. The
two most famous authors OF the
10th century are Hans Andersen
l1s05-ls75l whose fairy tales are
loved BY adults and children all
over the world. and the p..iiosoph-
er Soren kierkagaard (ls13-55)
His most famous work is "Enten-
eller' (Either-or" from 1s43.
The realistic period of Danish
literature was opened by Georg
Brandes 1s42-1927D with a series
of lectures ("Principal Currents in
the Literature of the 18th Cen
tury''). His influence penetrated
far beyond Scandinavia, and at the
beginning of the 10Th century he
was the grand old man" of Euro
pean reviewers. The most impor-
tant novelists of the realistic
school are J. p. Jacobsen lls4T-
ISL, who introduced realism II
Denmark by his short story Mo
gems" (ls72b and the novels Ma
RE Grubbe" and "Niels Lynne
{English TRANSACTIONS NY. 1879
Herman Bang (1s57-1el2l with his
novel wed vejenr cat the Way.
side-). Henrik Pontoppidan 1s57'