Pär Lagerkvist

Benjamin Mier-Cruz (University of Wisconsin)

Ed. by Susan Brantly, University of Wisconsin
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.3.6: Swedish Writing and Culture.
Vol. editors: Sven Hakon Rossel (Universitat Wien), Herbert Rowland (Purdue University), Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen (University College London)

Dates

Born 23 May 1891
Died 11 Jul 1974
Activity 1913-1974

Places

Born in Sweden
Active in Sweden

Activities

Primary

Essayist
Novelist
Poet

Resources

Lagerkvist's Works

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A novelist, poet, playwright, short story writer and essayist, Lagerkvist is one of Sweden’s most important 20th-century writers. His moralistic style is often focused on the question of faith, although he did not personally adhere to or promote the Christian pietism that he grew up with. The themes of Lagerkvist’s writing frequently address the duality of mankind, the struggle between good and evil, and the inability to know the difference.

Pär Fabian Lagerkvist was born on 13 May 1891 in Växjö, Sweden, in the province of Småland. His parents were Anders Johan Lagerkvist, who worked at a railroad station, and Johanna (née Blad). Pär Lagerkvist was the youngest of seven children, and the family lived in a small apartment above the railroad station’s restaurant. Lagerkvist’s

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2684 words

Citation: Mier-Cruz, Benjamin. "Pär Lagerkvist". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 17 August 2012 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=11881, accessed 23 November 2024.]