Paal Brekke
Encyclopedia
Paal Brekke was a Norwegian
lyricist, novelist, translator of poetry, and literary critic. Brekke fled from occupied Norway
to Sweden in 1940, when he was 17 years old. He made his literary debut in 1942, with the poetry collection Av din jord er vi til (From thy soil we exist). His first novel was På flukt (On the run, 1946).
Brekke has been called the father of modernism
in Norway. He was awarded the Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature in 1972 for the poetry collection Aftenen er stille (Quiet is the evening). He received the Dobloug Prize
in 1981.
poetry. He returned to Norway in 1945, and issued the collection Jeg gikk så lange veier (1945). The novel På flukt (1946) is describing a failed attempt to reach England during the war. Later collections are Skyggefektning (1949), and Løft min krone, vind fra intet (1957). Brekke's contributions to modernist poetry in the 1960s are the collection Det skjeve smil i rosa (1965), poetry combined with political sarcasm, and Granatmannen kommer (poems and other texts, 1968). In the 1970s he issued Aftenen er stille (1972), for which he received the critics prize, Syng, ugle (1978), and Flimmer. Og strek (1980). Late in his life he released the two collections Men barnet i meg spør (1992) and Ostinato (1994, posthumous).
Brekke was soon noticed for his orientation towards modern European poetry, both as poet and critic. He asked for a renewal of Norwegian poetry, and spread knowledge of foreign literature through translations of English modernist writers
like T.S.Eliot, and also Indian and Japanese poetry. In the mid 1950s Brekke participated in the debate on lyrical form, and opposed André Bjerke
and Arnulf Øverland
in the so-called Glossolalia debate
.
The travel book En munnfull av Ganges (1962) is written after a visit to India in 1960, where Brekke was faced with poverty and hunger in the third world
, and became aware of the underlying conflicts between rich and poor nations.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
lyricist, novelist, translator of poetry, and literary critic. Brekke fled from occupied Norway
Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started with the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, and ended on May 8, 1945, after the capitulation of German forces in Europe. Throughout this period, Norway was continuously occupied by the Wehrmacht...
to Sweden in 1940, when he was 17 years old. He made his literary debut in 1942, with the poetry collection Av din jord er vi til (From thy soil we exist). His first novel was På flukt (On the run, 1946).
Brekke has been called the father of modernism
Modernist literature
Modernist literature is sub-genre of Modernism, a predominantly European movement beginning in the early 20th century that was characterized by a self-conscious break with traditional aesthetic forms...
in Norway. He was awarded the Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature in 1972 for the poetry collection Aftenen er stille (Quiet is the evening). He received the Dobloug Prize
Dobloug Prize
The Dobloug Prize is a literature prize awarded for Swedish and Norwegian fiction. The prize is named after Norwegian businessman and philanthropist Birger Dobloug pursuant to his bequest. The prize sum is . The Dobloug Prize is awarded annually by the Swedish Academy.-Prize winners:...
in 1981.
Biography
As a young refugee Brekke became familiar with modern SwedishSwedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
poetry. He returned to Norway in 1945, and issued the collection Jeg gikk så lange veier (1945). The novel På flukt (1946) is describing a failed attempt to reach England during the war. Later collections are Skyggefektning (1949), and Løft min krone, vind fra intet (1957). Brekke's contributions to modernist poetry in the 1960s are the collection Det skjeve smil i rosa (1965), poetry combined with political sarcasm, and Granatmannen kommer (poems and other texts, 1968). In the 1970s he issued Aftenen er stille (1972), for which he received the critics prize, Syng, ugle (1978), and Flimmer. Og strek (1980). Late in his life he released the two collections Men barnet i meg spør (1992) and Ostinato (1994, posthumous).
Brekke was soon noticed for his orientation towards modern European poetry, both as poet and critic. He asked for a renewal of Norwegian poetry, and spread knowledge of foreign literature through translations of English modernist writers
Modernist poetry in English
Modernist poetry in English is generally considered to have emerged in the early years of the 20th century with the appearance of the Imagists. In common with many other modernists, these poets wrote in reaction to the perceived excesses of Victorian poetry, with its emphasis on traditional...
like T.S.Eliot, and also Indian and Japanese poetry. In the mid 1950s Brekke participated in the debate on lyrical form, and opposed André Bjerke
André Bjerke
Jarl André Bjerke was a Norwegian writer and poet. His debut was in 1940 with a collection of poems, Syngende Jord . He has written a wide range of material: poems , mystery novels , essays, and articles...
and Arnulf Øverland
Arnulf Øverland
Ole Peter Arnulf Øverland was a Norwegian author born in Kristiansund and raised in Bergen. His works include Berget det blå and Hustavler .-Life:...
in the so-called Glossolalia debate
Glossolalia debate
The Glossolalia debate was a literary debate on modernist poetry in Norway in the 1950s. The debate started with Arnulf Øverland's nationwide touring with the speech Tungetale fra Parnasset in 1953, characterizing modernist literature as babble and nonsense. His talk was published in...
.
The travel book En munnfull av Ganges (1962) is written after a visit to India in 1960, where Brekke was faced with poverty and hunger in the third world
Third World
The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
, and became aware of the underlying conflicts between rich and poor nations.
Selected works
- Av din jord er vi til (1942)
- Fri är du född (1943)
- Landflyktig soldat (1945)
- Jeg gikk så lange veier (1945)
- På flukt (1946)
- Skyggefektning (1949)
- Aldrende Orfeus (1951)
- Og hekken vokste kjempehøy (1953)
- Løft min krone, vind fra intet (1957)
- Roerne fra Itaca (1960)
- En munnfull av Ganges (1962)
- De skjeve smil i rosa (1965)
- Granatamannen kommer (1968)
- Aftenen er stille (1972)
- Syng, ugle (1978)
- Flimmer. Og strek (1980)
Translations
- T.S.Eliot: Det golde landet og andre dikt (1949)
- Amerikansk lyrikk (1957)
- Moderne japansk lyrikk (1965)
- Indisk lyrikk (1979)
Awards
- Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature 1972
- Dobloug PrizeDobloug PrizeThe Dobloug Prize is a literature prize awarded for Swedish and Norwegian fiction. The prize is named after Norwegian businessman and philanthropist Birger Dobloug pursuant to his bequest. The prize sum is . The Dobloug Prize is awarded annually by the Swedish Academy.-Prize winners:...
1981 - Riksmål Society Literature PrizeRiksmål Society Literature PrizeThe Riksmål Society Literature Prize is awarded annually by the Riksmålsforbundet for the outstanding publication in riksmål...
1992