Meïr Aron Goldschmidt
Encyclopedia
Meïr Aron Goldschmidt was a Danish publisher, journalist
and novelist with a Jewish background. Goldschmidt was born in Vordingborg
but raised in Copenhagen
. He belonged to a strictly orthodox
family but his meeting with classical Greek
culture changed much of this attitude and made him hereafter trying to balance between Jewish and non-Jewish thoughts. Especially the Greek idea of Nemesis
impressed him and imbued much of his later works.
He graduated in 1836. In 1837 he founded Præstø Amts Tidende which in 1839 merged with Callundborg Ugeblad to become Sjællandsposten. He sold that in 1840 and in the same year founded the weekly political and satirical Corsaren
("The Corsair") where, under the cover of different editors, he criticised the king. As the real editor, he was sentenced to prison (6 times 4 days), a fine, and future censorship on June 7, 1843, in the Supreme Court. Corsaren remains an innovation of Danish journalism.
Goldschmidt had previously praised Søren Kierkegaard
for his Either/Or
, but the friendship was destroyed after the Corsars continued attack on Kierkegaard. In 1846 Goldschmidt sold Corsaren. In the years 1847-1859 he ran a political magazine called Nord og Syd ("North and South").
Politically Goldschmidt was at the beginning a rebel with republican
sympathies and flirting with Utopian socialist views (a novelty of Danish literature) but from the 1850s he came closer to a more traditional liberal
ideology , and his attempts of playing a political role as an editor aroused accusations of opportunism
. About 1860 he stopped his career as an opinion former and concentrated on literature.
His literature shows an interest in the metaphysical and philosophical. His first novel En Jøde (1845; Eng. transl. A Jew, 1990) is the first description of the Copenhagen Jewish milieu viewed from within. The large novel Hjemløs ("Homeless", 1853) deals with the idea of Nemesis and so does the important Arvingen (1865, "The Heir"), the first Danish fine literary treatment of divorce
. Very valuable are his tales and novella
s dealing with Jewish individuals described in a special mixture of irony and sympathy. Not seldom realism is broken by a special mysticism
.
From a short-lived marriage he had a son in 1846 and a daughter in 1848.
Posterity has regarded Goldschmidt an uneven author. His novels are often weakened by long passages of pure action and outward events but in shorter forms (especially in the novellas of his old age) his considered much more successful . Being a romanticist himself his interest of problems and psychology in some ways anticipates the Modern Break-Through, not least the writings of Henrik Pontoppidan
.. Finally he must be regarded one of the pioneers of a modern and independent Danish journalism
.
He also wrote a few dramas, and an autobiography (1877).
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and novelist with a Jewish background. Goldschmidt was born in Vordingborg
Vordingborg
Vordingborg is a municipality in Region Sjælland on the southeast coast of the island of Zealand in south Denmark. The municipality includes the island of Masnedø, and covers an area of 621 km². It has a total population of 46,600...
but raised in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. He belonged to a strictly orthodox
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
family but his meeting with classical Greek
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
culture changed much of this attitude and made him hereafter trying to balance between Jewish and non-Jewish thoughts. Especially the Greek idea of Nemesis
Nemesis (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Nemesis , also called Rhamnousia/Rhamnusia at her sanctuary at Rhamnous, north of Marathon, was the spirit of divine retribution against those who succumb to hubris . The Greeks personified vengeful fate as a remorseless goddess: the goddess of revenge...
impressed him and imbued much of his later works.
He graduated in 1836. In 1837 he founded Præstø Amts Tidende which in 1839 merged with Callundborg Ugeblad to become Sjællandsposten. He sold that in 1840 and in the same year founded the weekly political and satirical Corsaren
Corsaren
Corsaren was a weekly satirical and political magazine published by Meïr Aron Goldschmidt who also wrote most of its content. The first issue was published on the 8 October 1840 in Copenhagen, Denmark....
("The Corsair") where, under the cover of different editors, he criticised the king. As the real editor, he was sentenced to prison (6 times 4 days), a fine, and future censorship on June 7, 1843, in the Supreme Court. Corsaren remains an innovation of Danish journalism.
Goldschmidt had previously praised Søren Kierkegaard
Søren Kierkegaard
Søren Aabye Kierkegaard was a Danish Christian philosopher, theologian and religious author. He was a critic of idealist intellectuals and philosophers of his time, such as Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling and Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel...
for his Either/Or
Either/Or
Published in two volumes in 1843, Either/Or is an influential book written by the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, exploring the aesthetic and ethical "phases" or "stages" of existence....
, but the friendship was destroyed after the Corsars continued attack on Kierkegaard. In 1846 Goldschmidt sold Corsaren. In the years 1847-1859 he ran a political magazine called Nord og Syd ("North and South").
Politically Goldschmidt was at the beginning a rebel with republican
Republicanism
Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, where the head of state is appointed by means other than heredity, often elections. The exact meaning of republicanism varies depending on the cultural and historical context...
sympathies and flirting with Utopian socialist views (a novelty of Danish literature) but from the 1850s he came closer to a more traditional liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
ideology , and his attempts of playing a political role as an editor aroused accusations of opportunism
Opportunism
-General definition:Opportunism is the conscious policy and practice of taking selfish advantage of circumstances, with little regard for principles. Opportunist actions are expedient actions guided primarily by self-interested motives. The term can be applied to individuals, groups,...
. About 1860 he stopped his career as an opinion former and concentrated on literature.
His literature shows an interest in the metaphysical and philosophical. His first novel En Jøde (1845; Eng. transl. A Jew, 1990) is the first description of the Copenhagen Jewish milieu viewed from within. The large novel Hjemløs ("Homeless", 1853) deals with the idea of Nemesis and so does the important Arvingen (1865, "The Heir"), the first Danish fine literary treatment of divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
. Very valuable are his tales and novella
Novella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
s dealing with Jewish individuals described in a special mixture of irony and sympathy. Not seldom realism is broken by a special mysticism
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
.
From a short-lived marriage he had a son in 1846 and a daughter in 1848.
Posterity has regarded Goldschmidt an uneven author. His novels are often weakened by long passages of pure action and outward events but in shorter forms (especially in the novellas of his old age) his considered much more successful . Being a romanticist himself his interest of problems and psychology in some ways anticipates the Modern Break-Through, not least the writings of Henrik Pontoppidan
Henrik Pontoppidan
Henrik Pontoppidan was a realist writer who shared with Karl Gjellerup the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1917 for "his authentic descriptions of present-day life in Denmark." Pontoppidan's novels and short stories — informed with a desire for social progress but despairing, later in his...
.. Finally he must be regarded one of the pioneers of a modern and independent Danish journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
.
Novels
- 1845 - En Jøde, published under the pseudonym Adolph Meyer
- 1853-1857 - Hjemløs
- 1865 - Arvingen
- 1867 - Ravnen ("The Raven")
He also wrote a few dramas, and an autobiography (1877).