Einar Benediktsson
Encyclopedia
Einar Benediktsson was an Iceland
ic poet
and lawyer
.
Einar Benediktsson's poetry was a significant contribution in the nationlistic revival leading to Iceland's independence. To this end, he was active both in establishing Landvarnarflokkurinn
in 1902 and as the editor of Iceland's first daily newspaper, Dagskrá, from 1896 to 1898. He pioneered as a strong advocate of inward foreign investment to utilize Iceland's natural resources. As a poet, he may be classified as a Neo-Romantic
.
His translations included English and American poetry and a masterpiece in rendering Henrik Ibsen
's epic, Peer Gynt
, into Icelandic. Einar Benediktsson was buried at Iceland's national shrine, Þingvellir
. He has descendants living today in Iceland, other European countries, and the United States, most notably including former ambassador and namesake Einar Benediktsson.
He resided at Höfði
house in northern Reykjavik
for many years.
(See Í.A. 1990: 331)
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
.
Einar Benediktsson's poetry was a significant contribution in the nationlistic revival leading to Iceland's independence. To this end, he was active both in establishing Landvarnarflokkurinn
Landvarnarflokkurinn
Landvarnarflokkurinn was an Icelandic political movement which operated from 1902 to 1912, founded because of discontentedness with a clause in the Icelandic constitution that stated that the Icelandic minister should bring up cases in the Danish Council of State...
in 1902 and as the editor of Iceland's first daily newspaper, Dagskrá, from 1896 to 1898. He pioneered as a strong advocate of inward foreign investment to utilize Iceland's natural resources. As a poet, he may be classified as a Neo-Romantic
Neo-romanticism
The term neo-romanticism is used to cover a variety of movements in music, painting and architecture. It has been used with reference to very late 19th century and early 20th century composers such as Gustav Mahler particularly by Carl Dahlhaus who uses it as synonymous with late Romanticism...
.
His translations included English and American poetry and a masterpiece in rendering Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
's epic, Peer Gynt
Peer Gynt
Peer Gynt is a five-act play in verse by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen, loosely based on the fairy tale Per Gynt. It is the most widely performed Norwegian play. According to Klaus Van Den Berg, the "cinematic script blends poetry with social satire and realistic scenes with surreal ones"...
, into Icelandic. Einar Benediktsson was buried at Iceland's national shrine, Þingvellir
Þingvellir
|Thing]] Fields) is a place in Bláskógabyggð in southwestern Iceland, near the peninsula of Reykjanes and the Hengill volcanic area. Þingvellir is a site of historical, cultural, and geological importance and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Iceland. It is the site of a rift...
. He has descendants living today in Iceland, other European countries, and the United States, most notably including former ambassador and namesake Einar Benediktsson.
He resided at Höfði
Höfði
Höfði is a house in northern Reykjavík, the capital city of Iceland, built in 1909. Höfði is located at Félagstúni. Initially, it was built for the French consul Jean-Paul Brillouin in Iceland and was the exclusive residence of poet and businessman Einar Benediktsson for many years...
house in northern Reykjavik
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
for many years.
Works
- 1897: Sögur og kvæði (Stories and poems)
- 1901: Pétur Gautur, translation from Henrik IbsenHenrik IbsenHenrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
's Peer Gynt. - 1906: Hafblik, poems
- 1913: Hrannir, poems
- 1921: Vogar, poems
- 1930: Hvammar, poems
(See Í.A. 1990: 331)
Further reading
- Íslenska Alfræðiorðabókin A-G. 1990. Editors: Dóra Hafsteinsdóttir and Sigríður Harðardóttir. Örn og Örlygur hf., Reykjavík.
- Ljóðasafn, 1979, editor Kristján Karlsson.