NORWEGIAN LITERATURE By GISLE BOTH NE, M. A., University of Minnesota. HE sagas' and the skalds' lays, written in the ancient language of Norway, are the literary monuments of a vigorous and enlightened people, from a time when the pens in most European lands were practised only in the use of Latin. Though the greater share of the credit for this literary achievement belongs to the colony, Iceland, in which the national characteristics throve as well as in the mother country, modern Norwegians, on awakening after centuries of political dependence, justly found in it the best heritage of their ancient fathers, an inspiration and a source of national rejuvenation. With the beginning of the fourteenth century the social and political conditions that made the saga literature possible had changed, fellowship in culture between Norway and Iceland ceased, and the two weakened nationalities, into which the Norse race separated, went each its own way. Then Norway became the politically inferior member, in a union with Denmark. The bulk of the people, the peasant class, continued to speak modified forms of Old Norwegian, and in these forms was preserved upon the tongues of the peasants, from medieval times, clear into the nineteenth century, a rich collection of popular poetry, ballads, legends, and the unsurpassed stories and fairy tales, which came into full light at the proper time to give the national regeneration strength and sentiment. The educated, or upper classes, owing to a number of causes, were gradually drawn in under the influence of (German)Danish culture, and with the advent of the Reformation were ripe for a community with Denmark in language and literature. A most important part of the Dano-Norwegian literature has been contributed by Norwegians. First among these must be mentioned Peder Clausson Friis (died 1614), who wrote an entertaining description of Norway and finished an excellent translation of Snorre. One of the few genuine poets in the barren Age of Learning was the genial Petter Dass (died 1708), whose secular and religious verses, with their popular tone and their simple and plain language, won for their author the deep affection of the common people. Ludvig Holberg (1684-1754) is the most prominent figure in the literature common to both countries. He wrote comedies that made him the peer of Molière; but more than that, this versatile genius "polished the language" and became the father of modern Danish prose, he lifted the two nations up into brotherhood of culture with the most advanced nations of contemporary Europe. C. B. Tullin (died 1765), who made his home in Christiania, by the unusual warmth of feeling and the natural freshness of his lyrics, modeled after the English, won fame beyond the confines of the twin kingdoms. J. H. Wessel (died 1785) wrote his immortal travesty, "Love without Stockings," and was the master spirit in the Norwegian Society (1772-1813), a band of clever wits and critics who exercised a wholesome influence by their sound and pure taste. The seventeenth of May is modern Norway's natal day, in later years celebrated with increasing enthusiasm and an intensity of feeling, matched nowhere else. On that day Norway regained, in 1814, her political independence and adopted the most democratic constitution in Europe. There was an end to the Dano-Norwegian literature. But not until a generation had grown up with the new order of things do we see the beginnings of modern Norwegian literature, which has largely contributed towards making Norway, formerly unnoticed, in some respects the most prominent member of the Scandinavian family in the eyes of the world today. The limited space makes possible only the briefest mention of the most prominent features of this literature. Associated, as no other name, with the celebration of the seventeenth of May is the name of Henrik Wergeland (died 1845). He is the embodiment of regenerated Norway's aspirations. "He dreamt all the dreams" of this new and ambitious member of the world's nations. While especially in the earlier years of his career, he was the object of attacks as bitter and fierce as ever were made on a Norwegian, dead or alive, his love of liberty, his struggle for freeing his countrymen from the old dependence on Danish culture, his unceasing labor for the instruction and uplifting of the common people made him, while living, the idol of the masses, and before the vision of later generations his figure has grown to a stature of heroic dimensions. When this giant succumbed to consumption at the age of 37, he had written as much as could be expected from half a dozen men in the same time. While some of it has been called rubbish, and his language at times is difficult and certainly untranslatable, while in his poetical flights he soars on eagle wings to dizzy heights, he is one of the greatest lyrics of the world, and at his best he still stands unequalled in Norwegian literature. A name which is indissolubly connected with Wergeland's is that of his implacable foe, J. S. Welhaven, whose keen wit and biting satire exposed all the weaknesses of the national movement. Wergeland with his unchecked enthusiasm and utter disregard for the approved taste in artistic expression, was to this pronounced aesthetic a "monster." Later when the national movement grew in strength, Welhaven (died 1873) also under its influence, composed masterly romances with a genuine Norwegian ring and as faultless in form as had been the earlier productions of this severe artist. The best known writers belonging to this school were A. Munch, who kept up writing during a long life and at times published some beautiful verses, and J. Moe. The last mentioned is better known in another connection. His collection of Norwegian ballads (1840), his and Asbjornsen's fairy tales (1842-1848) were the first indications that the national current had gained in strength so that all hearts were carried away before it. The wonderful activity displayed in many fields in the following period, is the glory of Modern Norway and her guarantee to the world that she rightly takes her place in the rank of nations. In this connection only a few things will be mentioned. Landstad, also the greatest hymn-writer in Norway, collected his old national ballads, Lindemann gathered in a harvest of national melodies, Ole Bull played Norwegian on his violin all over the world. P. A. Munch published his monumental History of the Norwegian People, and other scholars produced works of great value on similar lines. Aasen in his grammar and dictionary of dialects made known to science the popular language of the country, showed its close relationship to old |