How did Renaissance ideas affect Danish writing in the 1600s?

The literary Renaissance in 17th-century Denmark fostered a culture defined by strict adherence to Classical patterns and a profound deference to authority in political, religious, and literary spheres.1

This influence manifested in several key ways:

• Poetic Style: Danish poetry became characterized by a deliberate avoidance of simplicity, favoring preciosity and the heavy use of allegories, metaphors, and euphemisms. Writers slavishly followed Classical forms, including the hexameter, the alexandrine, and the sonnet.1
• Scholarship: The era was marked by significant scholarly advancement. This included the study of Old Norse literature, the linguistic study of the Danish language, and the documentation of runic inscriptions.1
• Religious and Didactic Writing: Religious literature was dominated by Latin dogmatics and superstitious pamphlets, though the period also produced notable didactic and pastoral poetry. Thomas Kingo emerged as the period's preeminent poet, blending worldly passion with deep religious devotion in his hymns.1

While the 16th century was primarily defined by the Reformation and the rise of humanism, the 17th century solidified these Classical and Baroque trends in Danish letters.12