Bjørnstjerne Martinus Bjørnson

Kathy Rees (Independent Scholar - Europe)

Ed. by Susan Brantly, University of Wisconsin
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.3.5: Norwegian Writing and Culture.
Vol. editors: Sven Hakon Rossel (Universitat Wien), Herbert Rowland (Purdue University), Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen (University College London), Anja Tröger (University of Edinburgh)

Dates

Born 8 Dec 1832
Died 26 Apr 1910
Activity 1857-1910

Places

Born in Norway
Active in Norway

Activities

Primary

Novelist
Theatre Director

Resources

Bjørnson's Works

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During his lifetime, Bjørnson was designated “Norway’s beating heart” and “Norway’s uncrowned king”. Not only did he give the country the nucleus of its modern literature, in terms of stories, dramas, novels, poems and songs, but he also profoundly influenced its political direction, challenged its private and public morals, and initiated educational change. During his lifetime, he was a prolific playwright, novelist, poet and journalist, the director of three theatres, the editor of three newspapers, and the chosen orator of his nation for several public occasions.

Childhood

The eldest of four siblings, Bjørnson spent his early years in the remote village of Kvikne. From the age of six, he lived in Nesset, outside Molde in Romsdal, moving house in accordance with his

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1796 words

Citation: Rees, Kathy. "Bjørnstjerne Martinus Bjørnson". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 28 August 2016 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=12886, accessed 23 November 2024.]