- Also called:
- Nordic literature
- Key People:
- Hedin Brú
- Georg Brandes
Scandinavian literature
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What is Scandinavian literature?
Scandinavian literature includes oral and written works produced within Scandinavia in the North Germanic languages, as well as in Finnish and, during the Middle Ages, in Latin. It consists of works in Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Danish, and Faroese. Finnish literature is closely intertwined with Swedish literature because Sweden ruled Finland for over six centuries.
Scandinavia traditionally includes Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Finland and Iceland are frequently called Scandinavian countries on geographic, political, and cultural grounds. The term Nordic is often used today to refer collectively to the Åland Islands, Denmark, Finland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
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Which countries are included in Scandinavian literature?
Scandinavian literature includes works from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands, all sharing North Germanic linguistic roots. Finnish literature is also closely associated with Swedish literature because Sweden governed Finland for over six centuries, despite the Finnish language belonging to the Finno-Ugric family. The term Nordic is often used to refer collectively to the Åland Islands, Denmark, Finland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Despite similarities from close cultural ties, the literatures of these countries also reflect distinct national institutions along with differing historical and geographic conditions.
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What languages are commonly used in Scandinavian literature?
Scandinavian literature includes works written in the North Germanic languages: Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Danish, and Faroese. Finnish literature is closely related despite the Finnish language belonging to the Finno-Ugric family.
Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish are mutually intelligible, facilitating the exchange of ideas. Faroese and Icelandic retain Old Norse characteristics but are not mutually intelligible. Minority languages in the Nordic region include Finnish, Greenlandic, and Sami languages.
During the Middle Ages, Latin was also used in Scandinavian literature.
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What are some important periods or movements in Scandinavian literature?
Several important periods and movements have shaped Scandinavian literature:
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The Viking Age From the late 8th century into the Middle Ages, Norsemen expanded from Scandinavia, influencing the literature of the region. During this time, stories of Norse gods and myths, like Odin, Thor, and Valhalla, formed the core of early Icelandic literature.
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The Modern Breakthrough Led by Danish critic Georg Brandes around 1870, this movement brought naturalism and realism to Scandinavia. Brandes advocated that literature should address real-life issues and promote progress, influencing figures like Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg.
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National Romanticism In the mid-19th century, Norwegian writers explored their country's past, exemplified by Norske folkeeventyr (Norwegian Folk Tales) and the works of Ivar Aasen, Henrik Ibsen, and Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson.
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Modernism The 1920s marked a significant period in Finland-Swedish literature with the rise of modernism in lyric poetry. Edith Södergran, Elmer Diktonius, and Gunnar Björling were central figures in this movement.
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Who are some famous authors from Scandinavia?
Scandinavia has produced many famous and influential authors. Here are a few examples:
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Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875): A Danish author known for his literary fairy tales, such as "The Tinderbox" and "The Snow Queen".
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Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906): A major Norwegian playwright who introduced a new order of moral analysis to the European stage.
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Selma Lagerlöf (1858-1940): A Swedish novelist who was the first woman and first Swedish writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1909.
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August Strindberg (1849-1912): Sweden’s greatest writer. Modern drama dates from his play Mäster Olof (1872), and the modern novel from Röda rummet (1879; The Red Room).
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How has Scandinavian literature influenced world literature and culture?
Scandinavian literature, encompassing works from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands, has significantly marked world literature and culture.
The dissemination of legends and traditions of early Germanic tribes through Scandinavian literature has offered detailed descriptions of the lifestyle and literary traditions of these peoples. The realism of Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen, who exposed social evils in works such as A Doll's House, has had a lasting global influence on both acting and writing. Additionally, Selma Lagerlöf was the first Swedish writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1909, reaching an international audience through translations.
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Scandinavian literature, the body of works, both oral and written, produced within Scandinavia in the North Germanic group of languages, in the Finnish language, and, during the Middle Ages, in the Latin language.
Scandinavian literature traditionally consists of works in modern Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Danish, and Faroese, all members of the North Germanic group of languages. The literary works written in these languages show deep-seated common linguistic ties. The Finnish language is unrelated to the North Germanic languages; it belongs instead to the Baltic-Finnic branch of the Finno-Ugric language family and is most closely related to Estonian and Karelian. Because Sweden ruled Finland for more than six centuries, Finnish literature, despite its linguistic differences, became closely intertwined with Swedish literature.
The term Scandinavia traditionally designates the two countries of the Scandinavian Peninsula—Norway and Sweden—and Denmark. Finland and Iceland are frequently called Scandinavian countries on geographic, political, and cultural grounds. The term Nordic is often used today to refer collectively to the Åland Islands, Denmark, Finland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
Although the Scandinavian literatures exhibit similarities stemming from close cultural ties, they manifest differences reflective of distinct national institutions and historical and geographic conditions. They are therefore discussed separately under Danish literature, Faroese literature, Icelandic literature, Norwegian literature, and Swedish literature. Works written in Finland in the Swedish language (Finland-Swedish literature) and in the Finnish language are discussed under Finnish literature.
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