Stefán Ólafsson of Vallanes

Katelin Parsons (Árna Magnússon Foundation for Icelandic Studies)

Ed. by Ármann Jakobsson, University of Iceland
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.3.4: Icelandic Writing and Culture.
Vol. editors: Ármann Jakobsson (University of Iceland), Sven Hakon Rossel (Universitat Wien), Herbert Rowland (Purdue University), Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen (University College London)

Dates

Born 1619
Died 1688

Places

Active in Iceland

Activities

Primary

Poet

Resources

Ólafsson's Works

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Stefán Ólafsson is among the most celebrated Icelandic poets of the early modern period, alongside his contemporary and fellow clergyman Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614–1674), with whom he is frequently compared. Stefán is primarily remembered for his secular songs, including his love poetry and comic verse. He was equally a religious poet, known during his lifetime for his hymns and hymn translations, but his religious compositions have largely fallen into obscurity today.

Stefán’s parents were provost and hymnist Ólafur Einarsson (1573–1651) and his wife Kristín Stefánsdóttir (c. 1582–after 1651), who were married in 1605 and moved to Stefán’s birthplace of Kirkjubær in East Iceland in 1609. Stefán was one of fifteen children: six sons and nine daughters. Three

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2380 words

Citation: Parsons, Katelin. "Stefán Ólafsson of Vallanes". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 29 April 2023 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=14866, accessed 21 November 2024.]