Gerd Brantenberg
Encyclopedia
Gerd Mjøen Brantenberg is a Norwegian author
, teacher, and feminist writer. She is also the cousin of radio and TV entertainer Lars Mjøen
.
Her most famous novel is Egalias døtre ("The Daughters of Egalia"), which was published in 1977 in Norway. In the novel the female is defined as the normal and the male as the abnormal, subjugated sex. All words that are normally in masculine form are given in a feminine form, and vice versa.
Brantenberg was born in Oslo, but grew up in Fredrikstad
. She studied English, History, and Sociology in London
, Edinburgh
, and Oslo. She has an English
hovedfag (main subject, comparable to a Master), from the University of Oslo
, where she also studied history and political science
. She worked as a lector
in Norwegian and Danish high school
s, and she also held positions at the trade union for lectors (Norsk Lektorlag) and the Norwegian Authors' Union
. Since 1982 she has been a writer full-time.
She worked from 1972-1983 in the Women's House in Oslo. She was a board member of the Norway's first association for homosexual people Forbundet av 1948, the precursor to the Norwegian National Association for Lesbian and Gay Liberation
. She has established women's shelter
's and she has worked in Lesbisk bevegelse (Lesbian movement) in both Oslo and Copenhagen
. In 1978 she founded a literary Women's Forum with the purpose of encouraging women to write and publish. She has published 10 novels, 2 plays, 2 translations, and many political songs, and has contributed to numerous anthologies.
She was awarded the Mads Wiel Nygaards Endowment
in 1983. In 1986 she was awarded the Danish literary prize "Thitprisen", named after the Danish author Thit Jensen
.
Norwegian literature
Norwegian literature is literature composed in Norway or by Norwegian people. The history of Norwegian literature starts with the pagan Eddaic poems and skaldic verse of the 9th and 10th centuries with poets such as Bragi Boddason and Eyvindr Skáldaspillir...
, teacher, and feminist writer. She is also the cousin of radio and TV entertainer Lars Mjøen
Lars Mjøen
Lars Mjøen is a Norwegian comedian, actor,singer, screenwriter, director, editor and author. He is best known as a member of the comedy trio KLM, alongside Trond Kirkvaag and Knut Lystad....
.
Her most famous novel is Egalias døtre ("The Daughters of Egalia"), which was published in 1977 in Norway. In the novel the female is defined as the normal and the male as the abnormal, subjugated sex. All words that are normally in masculine form are given in a feminine form, and vice versa.
Brantenberg was born in Oslo, but grew up in Fredrikstad
Fredrikstad
is a city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Fredrikstad....
. She studied English, History, and Sociology in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, and Oslo. She has an English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
hovedfag (main subject, comparable to a Master), from the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
, where she also studied history and political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. She worked as a lector
Lector
Lector is a Latin term for one who reads, whether aloud or not. In modern languages the word has come to take various forms, as either a development or a loan, such as , , and . It has various specialized uses:...
in Norwegian and Danish high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s, and she also held positions at the trade union for lectors (Norsk Lektorlag) and the Norwegian Authors' Union
Norwegian Authors' Union
The Norwegian Authors' Union is an association of Norwegian authors. It was established in 1893 to promote Norwegian literature and protect Norwegian authors' professional and economic interests. DnF also works in solidarity with persecuted writers internationally.As of 2004 the association had...
. Since 1982 she has been a writer full-time.
She worked from 1972-1983 in the Women's House in Oslo. She was a board member of the Norway's first association for homosexual people Forbundet av 1948, the precursor to the Norwegian National Association for Lesbian and Gay Liberation
Norwegian National Association for Lesbian and Gay Liberation
Landsforeningen for lesbisk og homofil frigjøring is a Norwegian "working politically and socially so that those who are gay, lesbian and bisexual can live openly without fear of being ostracized, discriminated, or harassed."The organization had its early beginnings in 1949, when the Danish...
. She has established women's shelter
Women's shelter
A women's shelter is a place of temporary refuge and support for women escaping violent or abusive situations, such as rape, and domestic violence....
's and she has worked in Lesbisk bevegelse (Lesbian movement) in both Oslo and Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. In 1978 she founded a literary Women's Forum with the purpose of encouraging women to write and publish. She has published 10 novels, 2 plays, 2 translations, and many political songs, and has contributed to numerous anthologies.
She was awarded the Mads Wiel Nygaards Endowment
Mads Wiel Nygaards Endowment
Mads Wiel Nygaard's Endowment is an annually awarded literary prize from the publishing house Aschehoug. The prize is a recognition of superior literary work. The publisher's editorial management makes the award based on their collective judgement of merit. Applications are not accepted.The...
in 1983. In 1986 she was awarded the Danish literary prize "Thitprisen", named after the Danish author Thit Jensen
Thit Jensen
Maria Kirstine Dorothea Jensen was a Danish novelist, but also author of short stories, plays and society critical articles....
.
External links
- http://skrift.no/brantenberg/ (Biography in Norwegian)
- http://www.dagbladet.no/kontekst/15753.html (Biography in Dagbladet, Norwegian Newspaper)