Edvard Beyer
Encyclopedia
Edvard Freydar Beyer was a Norwegian literary historian, literary critic, and professor at the University of Oslo
from 1958 to 1990.
and grew up in Bergen
, as a son of literary historian, later professor Harald Beyer
(1891–1960), and Eidis Johannessen (1893–1977). He was married to nurse Aslaug Ryssdal from 1946.
, and graduated with the dissertation Livsgleden som problem i Ibsens diktning, which was published in the journal Edda
in 1948. The next ten years he worked as an independent literary critic for Bergens Tidende
, and eventually as a lecturer at the University of Bergen
. He took his dr.philos. degree in 1956, with the thesis Hans E. Kinck; livsangst og livstro (about Hans E. Kinck
, issued in two volumes, in 1956 and 1965). His doctorate thesis is regarded as his most important research work. It is regarded as one of the most voluminous monographies on a poet in Norway.
Beyer was appointed professor in Nordic literature at the University of Oslo
in 1958, succeeding Francis Bull
. He also took over Bull's position as editor-in-chief of Edda, from 1962 to 1972. He was main editor for Norges litteraturhistorie (six volumes, 1974–1975), where he also wrote volume three and part of volume two, on literature from the 1800s. He was the Norwegian editor for the Scandinavian project Verdens litteraturhistorie (twelve volumes, 1971–1974). During the 1980s Beyer administered and contributed to the project Norsk litteraturkritikks historie 1770–1940, the history of Norwegian literary criticism from 1770 to 1940. He edited the collected works of Hans E. Kinck (18 volumes), and the short story anthologies Perler i prosa (1966) and Norske noveller (1967).
Beyer was chairman of Arts Council Norway from 1978 to 1985. He was a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
from 1959. He retired as a professor in 1990. In the same year he received the Fritt Ord Honorary Award. He died in November 2003 in Bærum
.
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
from 1958 to 1990.
Early and personal life
Beyer was born in HaugesundHaugesund
is a town and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.-Location:Haugesund was separated from Torvastad as a town and municipality of its own in 1855. The rural municipality of Skåre was merged with Haugesund on January 1, 1958. Haugesund is a small municipality, only 73 km²...
and grew up in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, as a son of literary historian, later professor Harald Beyer
Harald Beyer
Carl Harald Beyer was a Norwegian literary historian and lecturer, literary critic, textbook writer and professor of European literature at the University of Bergen.-Early and personal life:...
(1891–1960), and Eidis Johannessen (1893–1977). He was married to nurse Aslaug Ryssdal from 1946.
Career
Beyer studied philologyPhilology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
, and graduated with the dissertation Livsgleden som problem i Ibsens diktning, which was published in the journal Edda
Edda. Scandinavian Journal of Literary Research
Edda. Scandinavian Journal of Literary Research is a magazine for research on Scandinavian literature, and for literary researchers in the Scandinavian countries. It was founded by Gerhard Gran in 1914. The magazine's first publishing house was Aschehoug. Gran edited the magazine until his death...
in 1948. The next ten years he worked as an independent literary critic for Bergens Tidende
Bergens Tidende
Bergens Tidende is Norway's fourth largest newspaper and largest newspaper outside Oslo, with a circulation of about 87,000 copies . Founded in 1868, it is a Norwegian-language newspaper published daily in Bergen. It reaches approximately 260,000 readers every day , mainly in the counties of...
, and eventually as a lecturer at the University of Bergen
University of Bergen
The University of Bergen is located in Bergen, Norway. Although founded as late as 1946, academic activity had taken place at Bergen Museum as far back as 1825. The university today serves more than 14,500 students...
. He took his dr.philos. degree in 1956, with the thesis Hans E. Kinck; livsangst og livstro (about Hans E. Kinck
Hans E. Kinck
Hans Ernst Kinck was a Norwegian author and philologist who wrote novels, short stories, dramas, and essays.He was born in Øksfjord in Loppa, Finnmark, where his father was the local health inspector. He died in Oslo....
, issued in two volumes, in 1956 and 1965). His doctorate thesis is regarded as his most important research work. It is regarded as one of the most voluminous monographies on a poet in Norway.
Beyer was appointed professor in Nordic literature at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
in 1958, succeeding Francis Bull
Francis Bull
Francis Bull was a Norwegian literary historian, professor at the University of Oslo for more than thirty years, essayist and speaker, and magazine editor.-Early and personal life:...
. He also took over Bull's position as editor-in-chief of Edda, from 1962 to 1972. He was main editor for Norges litteraturhistorie (six volumes, 1974–1975), where he also wrote volume three and part of volume two, on literature from the 1800s. He was the Norwegian editor for the Scandinavian project Verdens litteraturhistorie (twelve volumes, 1971–1974). During the 1980s Beyer administered and contributed to the project Norsk litteraturkritikks historie 1770–1940, the history of Norwegian literary criticism from 1770 to 1940. He edited the collected works of Hans E. Kinck (18 volumes), and the short story anthologies Perler i prosa (1966) and Norske noveller (1967).
Beyer was chairman of Arts Council Norway from 1978 to 1985. He was a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters is a learned society based in Oslo, Norway.-History:The University of Oslo was established in 1811. The idea of a learned society in Christiania surfaced for the first time in 1841. The city of Throndhjem had no university, but had a learned...
from 1959. He retired as a professor in 1990. In the same year he received the Fritt Ord Honorary Award. He died in November 2003 in Bærum
Bærum
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838. A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the west coast of the city....
.