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Why did Henrik Pontoppidan receive the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1917?
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Danish literature
Jelling stone, raised by King Gorm the Old in the 10th century as a memorial to his wife, Queen Thyre.
Henrik Pontoppidan was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1917, sharing the honor with fellow Danish writer Karl Gjellerup.
The Nobel Committee recognized Pontoppidan for his "authentic descriptions of present-day life in Denmark." His extensive body of work, which includes numerous novels and short stories, is noted for providing a comprehensive and detailed portrait of Danish society and its historical epoch. His writing is characterized by an emotionally detached, epic style that blends social criticism with a sense of aristocratic disillusionment and pessimistic irony.1