Sigbjørn Obstfelder
Encyclopedia
Sigbjørn Obstfelder was a Norwegian
writer.
Primarily known as a writer of poetry
, Obstfelder's debut collection of poems from 1893, Digte (Poems), is usually credited as one of the earliest examples of modernism
in Norwegian literature. Despite producing only a mere handful of works during his short lifespan, he is considered one of the most important figures in Norwegian literature of the late 19th century. Strongly influenced by the French poet Charles Baudelaire
, his writings have often been described as the literary equivalent of Edvard Munch
's paintings; indeed, the two were friends. Obstfelder was a source of inspiration for Rainer Maria Rilke
's work The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge
.
Obstfelder lived most of his life as a pauper, and never stayed in one place for very long. By all accounts he had an unstable mental health, and suffered several nervous breakdowns. He died from tuberculosis in Copenhagen in 1900 and was buried on the same day his only child, a daughter, was born. His mother was also Jewish.
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...
writer.
Primarily known as a writer of 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...
, Obstfelder's debut collection of poems from 1893, Digte (Poems), is usually credited as one of the earliest examples of modernism
Modernist poetry
Modernist poetry refers to poetry written between 1890 and 1950 in the tradition of modernist literature in the English language, but the dates of the term depend upon a number of factors, including the nation of origin, the particular school in question, and the biases of the critic setting the...
in Norwegian literature. Despite producing only a mere handful of works during his short lifespan, he is considered one of the most important figures in Norwegian literature of the late 19th century. Strongly influenced by the French poet Charles Baudelaire
Charles Baudelaire
Charles Baudelaire was a French poet who produced notable work as an essayist, art critic, and pioneering translator of Edgar Allan Poe. His most famous work, Les Fleurs du mal expresses the changing nature of beauty in modern, industrializing Paris during the nineteenth century...
, his writings have often been described as the literary equivalent of Edvard Munch
Edvard Munch
Edvard Munch was a Norwegian Symbolist painter, printmaker and an important forerunner of expressionist art. His best-known composition, The Scream, is part of a series The Frieze of Life, in which Munch explored the themes of love, fear, death, melancholia, and anxiety.- Childhood :Edvard Munch...
's paintings; indeed, the two were friends. Obstfelder was a source of inspiration for Rainer Maria Rilke
Rainer Maria Rilke
René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke , better known as Rainer Maria Rilke, was a Bohemian–Austrian poet. He is considered one of the most significant poets in the German language...
's work The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge
The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge
The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge was Rainer Maria Rilke's only novel. It was written while Rilke lived in Paris, and was published in 1910. The novel is semi-autobiographical, and is written in an expressionistic style...
.
Obstfelder lived most of his life as a pauper, and never stayed in one place for very long. By all accounts he had an unstable mental health, and suffered several nervous breakdowns. He died from tuberculosis in Copenhagen in 1900 and was buried on the same day his only child, a daughter, was born. His mother was also Jewish.
Works
- Digte (Poems), 1893
- To novelletter (Two novellettes), 1895
- Korset (The Cross, novel), 1896
- De røde dråber (The Red Droplets, a play), 1897
- En præsts dagbog (A Priest's Diary, novel), incomplete, released posthumously 1900
- Efterladte arbeider (Unfinished works), 1903
- Samlede skrifter I-III (Collected Writings), 1950 contains a lot of previously unreleased material