Ola Hansson
Encyclopedia
Ola Hansson was a Swedish poet, prose writer, and critic.
of his native province Skåne, southern Sweden. The raffined poetry did not fit the Swedish realism
of the 1880s-90s and gained little attention. Hansson followed up with the decadent Sensitiva Amorosa (1887), a collection of morbid, erotic sketches that shocked the Sweden of his day. The reaction from the public was harsh, and Hansson left his country for Germany in 1889. He would then continue to live abroad for the remainder of his life, in countries such as Switzerland
and Turkey
(where he also died).
. Hansson, together with Georg Brandes
was instrumental in calling attention to Nietzsche's works in Germany, and he also helped publicize Strindberg's
work in German magazines at a point when the latter was not appreciated in Sweden. The two men rapidly became enemies, though, after Strindberg moved to Berlin in 1892.
While in Germany, he wrote and published works in German, Danish and Norwegian, for example Fatalistische geschichten (German, 1890) which was published the same year in Danish as Skæbnenoveller. Other German language works during this period included Im Huldrebann (1895), Meervögel (1895), Der Weg zum Leben (1896; also in Swedish, Vägen till lifvet, 1896), and Der Schutzengel (1896).
Later in the 1890s he came to loathe Germany, and furthermore grew a hatred of people into fanatical proportions, manifesting itself in anti-semitism
among other things. For a short period he expressed an adherence of Catholicism. These peculiarities further alienated him from contemporary Sweden. He did however gain some recognition in Germany thanks to his German wife Laura (1854–1928; pseudonym Laura Marholm), who spread Hansson's works to a larger audience.
, a major poet of the next generation, published a paeanic poem hailing him as the like of Pindar
, the bard of his province and a poetic forerunner. Ekelund, like Hansson, was a native of the rural southern province of Scania
and felt in opposition to the literary fashions of Stockholm; he felt these had rejected Hansson and driven him into exile. From this point on, Ola Hansson began to be reappraised, and in his final years an (unsatisfying) edition of his collected works began to appear in Sweden (greeted by the author's angry pointing out of its shortcomings in newspaper articles dispatched from his exile). He has remained, in particular, an invoked hero of Scanian writers.
In 1913 he was awarded the first scholarship in memory of Gustaf Fröding
, elected by Swedish university students.
Biography
Hansson published his first works, Dikter ("Poems") in 1884 and Notturno in 1885. In those he expressed a celebration of the natural beauty and folk cultureFolk culture
Folk culture refers to the lifestyle of a culture. Historically, handed down through oral tradition, it demonstrates the "old ways" over novelty and relates to a sense of community. Folk culture is quite often imbued with a sense of place...
of his native province Skåne, southern Sweden. The raffined poetry did not fit the Swedish realism
Swedish realism
Swedish realism is the period in Swedish literature that encompassed the last two decades of the 19th century. It is generally considered to have ended in the 1910s but the exact year is a matter of debate.-August Strindberg:...
of the 1880s-90s and gained little attention. Hansson followed up with the decadent Sensitiva Amorosa (1887), a collection of morbid, erotic sketches that shocked the Sweden of his day. The reaction from the public was harsh, and Hansson left his country for Germany in 1889. He would then continue to live abroad for the remainder of his life, in countries such as Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
(where he also died).
Ideas and works
In the period following the notorious Sensitiva Amorosa (1887) he proclaimed himself an adherent of Nietzschean ideas, a view he made public with the cycle of poems Ung Ofegs visor (1892). Here he voiced his contempt of the general crowd and belief in the ÜbermenschÜbermensch
The Übermensch is a concept in the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche posited the Übermensch as a goal for humanity to set for itself in his 1883 book Thus Spoke Zarathustra ....
. Hansson, together with Georg Brandes
Georg Brandes
Georg Morris Cohen Brandes was a Danish critic and scholar who had great influence on Scandinavian and European literature from the 1870s through the turn of the 20th century. He is seen as the theorist behind the "Modern Breakthrough" of Scandinavian culture...
was instrumental in calling attention to Nietzsche's works in Germany, and he also helped publicize Strindberg's
August Strindberg
Johan August Strindberg was a Swedish playwright, novelist, poet, essayist and painter. A prolific writer who often drew directly on his personal experience, Strindberg's career spanned four decades, during which time he wrote over 60 plays and more than 30 works of fiction, autobiography,...
work in German magazines at a point when the latter was not appreciated in Sweden. The two men rapidly became enemies, though, after Strindberg moved to Berlin in 1892.
While in Germany, he wrote and published works in German, Danish and Norwegian, for example Fatalistische geschichten (German, 1890) which was published the same year in Danish as Skæbnenoveller. Other German language works during this period included Im Huldrebann (1895), Meervögel (1895), Der Weg zum Leben (1896; also in Swedish, Vägen till lifvet, 1896), and Der Schutzengel (1896).
Later in the 1890s he came to loathe Germany, and furthermore grew a hatred of people into fanatical proportions, manifesting itself in anti-semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
among other things. For a short period he expressed an adherence of Catholicism. These peculiarities further alienated him from contemporary Sweden. He did however gain some recognition in Germany thanks to his German wife Laura (1854–1928; pseudonym Laura Marholm), who spread Hansson's works to a larger audience.
Legacy
A productive writer, his writings are uneven. However, he is considered today a pioneer within modern Swedish poetry, who reshaped nature poetry; he has sometimes been called the only one among late-19th century Swedish poets who really absorbed the influence of French Symbolism and "fin-de-siècle" moods. In 1906 Vilhelm EkelundVilhelm Ekelund
Vilhelm Ekelund was a Swedish poet.The works of Ekelund were influenced by Friedrich Hölderlin, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Emanuel Swedenborg...
, a major poet of the next generation, published a paeanic poem hailing him as the like of Pindar
Pindar
Pindar , was an Ancient Greek lyric poet. Of the canonical nine lyric poets of ancient Greece, his work is the best preserved. Quintilian described him as "by far the greatest of the nine lyric poets, in virtue of his inspired magnificence, the beauty of his thoughts and figures, the rich...
, the bard of his province and a poetic forerunner. Ekelund, like Hansson, was a native of the rural southern province of Scania
Scania
Scania is the southernmost of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden, constituting a peninsula on the southern tip of the Scandinavian peninsula, and some adjacent islands. The modern administrative subdivision Skåne County is almost, but not totally, congruent with the...
and felt in opposition to the literary fashions of Stockholm; he felt these had rejected Hansson and driven him into exile. From this point on, Ola Hansson began to be reappraised, and in his final years an (unsatisfying) edition of his collected works began to appear in Sweden (greeted by the author's angry pointing out of its shortcomings in newspaper articles dispatched from his exile). He has remained, in particular, an invoked hero of Scanian writers.
In 1913 he was awarded the first scholarship in memory of Gustaf Fröding
Gustaf Fröding
Gustaf Fröding was a Swedish poet and writer, born in Alster outside Karlstad in Värmland. The family moved to Kristinehamn in the year 1867. He later studied at Uppsala University and worked as a journalist in Karlstad....
, elected by Swedish university students.