Hans Aanrud
Encyclopedia
Hans Aanrud was a Norwegian
author. He wrote plays, poetry
, and stories depicting rural life in his native Gudbrandsdal
, Norway
.
(part of Gudbrandsdal
). He attended a grammar school and then practised as a private tutor. When he had some success with his literary works he moved to Oslo
. There he was a literary and theatre critic. From 1911 to 1923 he was also an adviser at the national theatre of Oslo
.
Aanrud gained fame by his realistic and folksy descriptions of the rural life of his home valley before the industrial age. The way of thinking of the ordinary peasants is presented in partly dialect dialogues and in their simple and friendly mode of expression. The landscape is atmospherically described and most parts of the stories are humorous; there are only sometimes also tragic features. The characters, plot and description of the landscape always form an integrated whole. Often children are the protagonists of Aanruds stories which therefore became popular children’s books. But Aanrud himself had intended his tales for older readers. These tales were soon translated and found wide distribution especially in the rest of Scandinavia
, Great Britain
and Germany
.
One of the most successful tales by Aanrud is his depiction of Sidsel Sidsærk (1903), a young Norwegian shepherdess who receives her epithet long skirt because of her much too long skirt, a Christmas present of her brother. The tale of the young shepherd Sölve Solfeng (1910), who lives in a valley in Norway, was also widespread. The content of both stories concerns the difficult conditions of the work of the country children who had to eke out a poor existence far away from their parents. In spite of this account of their hard lot an optimistic kind of portrayal is predominant.
Two translations of shorter stories by Aanrud also achieved great fame in Germany: the tale collections Kroppzeug (1907) and Jungen (1910).
The lower middle-class life in the city was also examined by Aanrud in some comedies
in a satiric way, but these comedies were mainly known only in the Norwegian capital and are today nearly forgotten. In the comedy Storken (= stork, 1895), that is playing in Kristiania (the former name of Oslo) at the end of the 19th century, a naïve clerk tries to establish contacts to the high society but he is often deceived by a royal authorized representative, who takes advantage of his ignorance. Only at the end the clerk finds out the truth. In this comedy Aanrud mocks at affected and mendacious behaviour. He wanted a positive influence of the healthy rural world on the city life that he regarded as degenerate and rootless; in the end he wanted the rapprochement of the rural and the urban culture.
Aanrud's works include:
Norwegians
Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...
author. He wrote plays, poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, and stories depicting rural life in his native Gudbrandsdal
Gudbrandsdal
The Gudbrandsdalen is a valley and traditional district in the Norwegian county of Oppland. The valley is oriented in a north-westerly direction from Lillehammer at Mjøsa, extending 230 km toward Romsdal...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
Life
Aanrud, who came from a rural family, was born and raised in Auggedalen, a valley in GausdalGausdal
Gausdal is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Segalstad bru...
(part of Gudbrandsdal
Gudbrandsdal
The Gudbrandsdalen is a valley and traditional district in the Norwegian county of Oppland. The valley is oriented in a north-westerly direction from Lillehammer at Mjøsa, extending 230 km toward Romsdal...
). He attended a grammar school and then practised as a private tutor. When he had some success with his literary works he moved to Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. There he was a literary and theatre critic. From 1911 to 1923 he was also an adviser at the national theatre of Oslo
Nationaltheatret
The National Theatre in Oslo is one of Norway's largest and most prominent venues for performance of dramatic arts.The theatre had its first performance on 1 September 1899 but can trace its origins to Christiania Theatre, which was founded in 1829...
.
Works
The Chambers Biographical Dictionary says "His delightful children's books... deserve their place among the classics".Aanrud gained fame by his realistic and folksy descriptions of the rural life of his home valley before the industrial age. The way of thinking of the ordinary peasants is presented in partly dialect dialogues and in their simple and friendly mode of expression. The landscape is atmospherically described and most parts of the stories are humorous; there are only sometimes also tragic features. The characters, plot and description of the landscape always form an integrated whole. Often children are the protagonists of Aanruds stories which therefore became popular children’s books. But Aanrud himself had intended his tales for older readers. These tales were soon translated and found wide distribution especially in the rest of Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
, Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
One of the most successful tales by Aanrud is his depiction of Sidsel Sidsærk (1903), a young Norwegian shepherdess who receives her epithet long skirt because of her much too long skirt, a Christmas present of her brother. The tale of the young shepherd Sölve Solfeng (1910), who lives in a valley in Norway, was also widespread. The content of both stories concerns the difficult conditions of the work of the country children who had to eke out a poor existence far away from their parents. In spite of this account of their hard lot an optimistic kind of portrayal is predominant.
Two translations of shorter stories by Aanrud also achieved great fame in Germany: the tale collections Kroppzeug (1907) and Jungen (1910).
The lower middle-class life in the city was also examined by Aanrud in some comedies
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
in a satiric way, but these comedies were mainly known only in the Norwegian capital and are today nearly forgotten. In the comedy Storken (= stork, 1895), that is playing in Kristiania (the former name of Oslo) at the end of the 19th century, a naïve clerk tries to establish contacts to the high society but he is often deceived by a royal authorized representative, who takes advantage of his ignorance. Only at the end the clerk finds out the truth. In this comedy Aanrud mocks at affected and mendacious behaviour. He wanted a positive influence of the healthy rural world on the city life that he regarded as degenerate and rootless; in the end he wanted the rapprochement of the rural and the urban culture.
Aanrud's works include:
- Storken, 1895
- En Vinternat og andre Fortællinger, 1896
- Hanen, 1898
- Sidsel Sidsærk (translated into English as Lisbeth LongfrockLisbeth LongfrockLisbeth Longfrock is a classical work of Norwegian literature, by the author Hans Aanrud, published in 1903. It was translated into English by Laura E. Poulsson, and illustrated by Norwegian artist Othar Holmboe.-Plot:The story follows its title heroine, from childhood to confirmation...
), 1903 - Sølve Solfeng, 1910
- Fortællinger for Barn, 1917
- Sølve Suntrap, 1926
- Collected works, 6 volumes, 1914-1915; 3 volumes, 1943