How did Georg Brandes influence realistic problem literature in Norway?

The Danish critic Georg Brandes was the primary catalyst for the "Modern Breakthrough" (det moderne gennembrud), a literary movement that fundamentally reshaped Norwegian literature in the 1870s and 1880s.12

Brandes influenced realistic "problem" literature in Norway through several key actions:

• Advocacy for Realism: Through his influential lecture series, Main Currents in 19th Century Literature, Brandes demanded that writers reject the abstract idealism and fantasy of late Romanticism. He argued that literature should instead concern itself with "life and reality" and serve as a tool for social progress and reform.12
• Championing Key Figures: Brandes befriended and championed major Norwegian writers, including Henrik Ibsen and Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson. Ibsen, in particular, viewed Brandes as a leader in the "revolution of the spirit" and produced a succession of famous problem dramas, such as The Pillars of Society and A Doll’s House, that directly addressed contemporary social, political, and moral issues.23
• Promoting Liberal Trends: By introducing liberal European cultural and political ideas to Scandinavia, Brandes encouraged authors to critically examine established social institutions, leading to a body of work that explored themes like the position of women in society and social injustice.23