Johannes Vilhelm Jensen - Literature

Writer and poet, born in Farsø, N Denmark. A student of medicine in Copenhagen, he turned to writing. His early works detail his native land and its people, as in Himmerlandshistorier (1898–1910), but many of his works, such as The Forest and Madama d'Ora (1904), are based on his extensive travels in the Far East and America. He wrote many tales under the title Myter (Myths), as well as a psychological study of Christian II of Denmark, Kongens Fald (1900, The Fall of the King). His best-known work Den Lange Rejse (1908–22, The Long Journey), depicting the rise of the human race through time is an expression of Jensen's Darwinism. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1944.

Johannes Vilhelm Jensen, in Denmark always called Johannes V. Jensen, (January 20, 1873 – November 25, 1950) was a Danish author, often considered the first great Danish writer of the 20th century. One of his sisters, Thit Jensen, was also a well-known writer and a very vocal and occasionally controversial early feminist.

He was born in Farsø, a village in North Jutland, Denmark, as the son of a veterinary surgeon and he grew up in a rural environment.

The first phase of his work as an author was influenced by fin-de-siècle pessimism.

In 1906 Jensen created his greatest literary achievement: the collection of verses Digte 1906 (i.e.

He developed his theories of evolution in a cycle of six novels, Den lange rejse (1908-22) eng.

Like his compatriot Hans Christian Andersen, he travelled extensively;

Jensen's most popular literary works were all completed before 1920.

For many years he worked in journalism, writing articles and chronicles for the daily press without ever joining the staff of any newspaper.

Jensen was a controversial figure in Danish cultural life.

Today Jensen is still considered the father of Danish modernism, particularly in the area of modern poetry with his introduction of the prose poem and his use of a direct and straightforward language.

Johannes Vilhelm Jensen is NOT to be confused with Wilhelm Jensen (1837-1911), German writer, whose short story, Gradiva (1903), became famous for being analysed by Sigmund Freud in Delusion and Dream in Jensen's Gradiva.

Literature

Danskere, 1896 Einar Elkjær, 1898 Himmerlandsfolk, 1898 Intermezzo, 1899 Kongens Fald, 1900-1901 - The Fall of the King Den gotiske renæssance, 1901 Skovene, 1904 Nye Himmerlandshistorier, 1904 Madame d'Ora, 1904 Hjulet, 1904 Digte, 1906 Eksotiske noveller, 1907-15 Den nye verden, 1907 Singaporenoveller, 1907 Myter, 1907-45 Nye myter, 1908 Den lange rejse, 1908-22 - The Long Journey - I: Den tabte land, 1919; VI: Christofer Columbus, 1922 Lille Ahasverus, 1909 Himmerlandshistorier, Tredje Samling, 1910 Myter, 1910 Nordisk ånd, 1911 Myter, 1912 Rudyard Kipling, 1912 Olivia Marianne, 1915 Introduktion til vor tidsalder, 1915 Skrifter, 1916 (8 vols.) Årbog, 1916, 1917 Johannes Larsen og hans billeder, 1920 Sangerinden, 1921 Den lange rejse, 1922-24 - The Long Journey Æstetik og udviking, 1923 Årstiderne, 1923 Hamlet, 1924 Myter, 1924 Skrifter, 1925 (5 vols.) Evolution og moral, 1925 Årets højtider, 1925 Verdens lys, 1926 Jørgine, 1926 Thorvaldsens portrætbuster, 1926 Dyrenes forvandling, 1927 Åndens stadier, 1928 Ved livets bred, 1928 Retninger i tiden, 1930 Den jyske blæst, 1931 Form og sjæl, 1931 På danske veje, 1931 Pisangen, 1932 Kornmarken, 1932 Sælernes ø, 1934 Det blivende, 1934 Dr. Renaults fristelser, 1935 Gudrun, 1936 Darduse, 1937 Påskebadet, 1937 Jydske folkelivsmalere, 1937 Thorvaldsen, 1938 Nordvejen, 1939 Fra fristaterne, 1939 Gutenberg, 1939 Mariehønen, 1941 Vor oprindelse, 1941 Mindets tavle, 1941 Om sproget og undervisningen, 1942 Kvinnen i sagatiden, 1942 Folkeslagene i østen, 1943 Digte 1901-43, 1943 Møllen, 1943 Afrika, 1949 Garden Colonies in Denmark, 1949 Swift og Oehlenschläger, 1950 Mytens ring, 1951 Tilblivelsen, 1951 The Waving Rye, 1959 (tr.