How did Arne Garborg’s writing move through Romanticism, realism, naturalism, and Neoromanticism?

Arne Garborg was a versatile writer whose career mirrored the shifting literary currents of late 19th-century Norway. His work evolved through several distinct phases:

• Realism and Naturalism: Garborg gained prominence during the era of the "modern breakthrough," which emphasized social critique. His 1883 novel Bondestudentar ("Peasant Students") is a hallmark of his realistic period, depicting the cultural conflict between rural and urban life. He further developed a naturalistic approach in works such as Hjaa ho mor (1890; "At Mother’s"), where he explored the stifling effects of social and sexual mores.
• Neoromanticism: As the century drew to a close, Garborg’s focus shifted toward the subjective and the supernatural. His masterpiece, the poetic cycle Haugtussa (1895; "Woman of the Underground People"), exemplifies his transition into Neoromanticism by centering on a young girl’s belief in the supernatural world.
• Romanticism: While his career is often defined by his engagement with realism and naturalism, his broader body of work—including his deep commitment to the Nynorsk language—reflected the enduring influence of national Romanticism, which sought to establish an independent Norwegian cultural identity rooted in rural traditions and history.12