Tómas Guðmundsson
Encyclopedia
Tómas Guðmundsson was an Icelandic author. He was known as Reykjavík
's poet (Reykjavíkurskáldið, skáld Reykjavíkur).
Tómas's parents were Steinunn Þorsteinsdóttir and Guðmundur Ögmundsson, living at Efri-Brú in Grímsnes. He soon got in touch with literature
and poetry
. He read Icelandic sagas, Jónas Hallgrímsson
's poems and more. He also started to write his own poetry at a young age.
He moved to Reykjavík
and studied at Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík
, there he got in touch with many authors, including Halldór Laxness
(they formed a close friendship during the M.R. years), Guðmundur G. Hagalín
and Davíð Stefánsson
. Tómas graduated from M.R. in 1921.
He then studied law at Háskóli Íslands and graduated in 1926. During that time he got in touch with even more authors, including Jón Thoroddsen junior
.
After his graduation he opened an office to practice law and in 1928 he started working at Hagstofa Íslands. He closed his office in 1929 and quit at the bureau in 1943.
From 1943 he was mostly working at poetry and authorship. He was one the editors of Helgafell and Nýja Helgafell, he also translated stories, plays and poems.
Tomas died 1983 in Reykjavík
, aged 82.
The first three books he published, Við sundin blá, Fagra veröld and Stjörnur vorsins belong to neoromanticism and so do his last two books, Fljótið helga and Heim til þín, Ísland, but its signs are not as strong.
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
's poet (Reykjavíkurskáldið, skáld Reykjavíkur).
Tómas's parents were Steinunn Þorsteinsdóttir and Guðmundur Ögmundsson, living at Efri-Brú in Grímsnes. He soon got in touch with literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
and poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
. He read Icelandic sagas, Jónas Hallgrímsson
Jónas Hallgrímsson
Jónas Hallgrímsson was an Icelandic poet, author and naturalist. He was one of the founders of the Icelandic journal Fjölnir, which was first published in Copenhagen in 1835...
's poems and more. He also started to write his own poetry at a young age.
He moved to Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
and studied at Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík
Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík
Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík is the oldest gymnasium in Reykjavík, Iceland....
, there he got in touch with many authors, including Halldór Laxness
Halldór Laxness
Halldór Kiljan Laxness was a twentieth-century Icelandic writer. Throughout his career Laxness wrote poetry, newspaper articles, plays, travelogues, short stories, and novels...
(they formed a close friendship during the M.R. years), Guðmundur G. Hagalín
Guðmundur G. Hagalín
Guðmundur G. Hagalín came from the sea-girt Western Fiords of Iceland, where he was a fisherman before attending secondary school. Later, he lectured on Iceland in Norway for a few years , and became a superintendent of public libraries. His home was fairly near Reykjavík...
and Davíð Stefánsson
Davíð Stefánsson
Davíð Stefánsson from Fagriskógur was a famous Icelandic poet and novelist, best known as a poet of humanity....
. Tómas graduated from M.R. in 1921.
He then studied law at Háskóli Íslands and graduated in 1926. During that time he got in touch with even more authors, including Jón Thoroddsen junior
Jón Thoroddsen junior
Jón Skúlason Thoroddsen was an Icelandic author. He was born in Breiðabólstaður á Skógarströnd. His parents were sýslumaður Skúli Thoroddsen and his wife Theodora Guðmundsdóttir, who was a priest. After high school he studied law. In 1922, he published two books: Maria Magdalena and Flugur...
.
After his graduation he opened an office to practice law and in 1928 he started working at Hagstofa Íslands. He closed his office in 1929 and quit at the bureau in 1943.
From 1943 he was mostly working at poetry and authorship. He was one the editors of Helgafell and Nýja Helgafell, he also translated stories, plays and poems.
Tomas died 1983 in Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, aged 82.
Works
Tómas's poems were mostly traditional and his style did not change much during his career. The poems are mostly about Reykjavík and his place of youth.The first three books he published, Við sundin blá, Fagra veröld and Stjörnur vorsins belong to neoromanticism and so do his last two books, Fljótið helga and Heim til þín, Ísland, but its signs are not as strong.
Publications
- 1925: Við sundin blá, poems
- 1933: Fagra veröld, poems
- 1940: Stjörnur vorsins, poems
- 1950: Fljótið helga, poems
- 1977: Heim til þín, Ísland, poems