Bjornson

Bjornson, Bjornstjerne, was born in 1832 at Quickne, in Norway, where his father was pastor. He completed his education at the universities of Christiania and Copenhagen, and his first literary attempt was Kalborg, a drama which he did not allow to appear. In 1857 he made his initial success in another line with an idyllic peasant romance, Symiove Solbakken. Ole Bull made him manager of the Bergen theatre, and in 1858 he put on the stage Halte Hulda and Mellena Slagene (Between the Battles), besides writing his most popular story Arne. He then became a newspaper editor, but his religious views led to his leaving Norway, and for nearly twenty years he lived chiefly abroad. From 1876 to 1883 he settled near Lillehammer, and as leader of the "Peasants' Party" had some influence in politics. His home is now in Paris. His best play is Sigurd the Bastard. He is a lyric poet of high order, and has even tried his hand at epic verse. It is impossible to give a list of his many novels and tales. In all his works he has striven to express the national spirit and to discountenance imitation of the French, and he has undoubtedly stimulated the revival of Scandinavian literature.