nordic viking literature

TRANSITIONS AND REAPPEARING THEMES

THROUGHOUT LITERATURE IN SCANDINAVIA

Overview

Where Literature historically began How Scandinavian countries have become

dominant in Education/Literature both do to cultural bonds, European Influence and strive for economic dominance

How even though great advancement has been made historical and traditional cultural aspects still greatly influence literature

Look at three 20th Century authors illustrating Viking themes in literature: Frans Gunnar Bengtsson, Sigrid Undset, Johannes V. Jensen

History of Literature In Scandinavia

Sami and the Finn into orally depicted stories little is know of their earlier literature

Viking Age period 750-1250 Runic Inscriptions and Eddic Poems were a common source of Influence on society

Runic Inscriptions are seen greatly in the depiction of a memorial to the family members

As Christianization of the ‘Barbaric’ Pagans took place you see the widespread use of Latin

From this large scale spread of various written language

The Newer FuþarkViking Age Runic Alphabet

Images of Ancient Runes

Runic Translation

stain sasi ias satr aiftir siba kuþa sun fultars inhans liþi sati at u tausaiþ

‘This stone is placed in memory of Sibbe the Good, son of Foldar. And his followers placed on the island this (memorial) of death.'

Progression Into Modern Life

CIA ranking of Literacy Rates

Sweden + Denmark

Defined as “age 15 and over can read and write”

Male literacy rate is 99%

Female Literacy rate is 99%

99% of the total population is literate

Norway Defined as “age 15

and over can read and write”

Male literacy rate is 100%

Female Literacy rate is 100%

100% of the total population is literate

Nobel Prizes

Sweden In the period of 1901-2009 Sweden has received 31 Nobel

Prizes 7 of the 31 were in literature Ranked # 7 overall in most Nobel Prizes per Country Denmark In the period of 1901-2009 Denmark has received 13 Nobel

Prizes 3 of the 13 were in literature Ranked # 11 Norway In the period of 1901-2009 Norway has received 9 Nobel Prizes 3 of the 9 were in literature Ranked #14

What HDI is

The HDI combines three dimensions Life expectancy at birth, as an index of

population health and longevity Knowledge and Education as measured by the

adult literacy rate (with two thirds weighting) and the combined primary, secondary, and tertiary gross enrollment ratio (with one third weighting)

Standard of living, as measured by the natural logarithm of gross domestic product per capita at purchasing power parity

HDI Results for 2009

Norway Ranked 1 in the Human Development

Report 2009 – HDI Rankings Sweden Ranked 7 in the Human Development

Report 2009 – HDI Rankings Denmark Ranked 16 in the Human Development

Report 2009 – HDI Rankings

Swedish, Danish and Norwegian Universities

Denmark University of Copenhagen #48 Best Universities--

#51 in US News University of Aarhus #81 Best Universities-- #63

US News Sweden Uppsala University ranked #63 Best Universities--

#75 in US News Lund University ranked #88 Best Universities--

#67 in US News Norway University of Bergen

University of Copenhagen, Denmark

University of Aarus, Denmark

UPPSALA University, Sweden

Lund University, Sweden

University of Bergen, Norway

National Library

Sweden, Norway, and Denmark all have national Libraries

These libraries hold very historical materials from throughout the centuries

Often like in the US national library many of the pieces are only to be analyzed and studied by technicians specially appointed by the government

National Library of Sweden

The Royal LibraryCopenhagen, Denmark

National Library of Norway

20TH CENTURY AUTHORS

ILLUSTRATING VIKING STYLE INFLUENCE

Frans Gunnar Bengtsson

Swedish writer born in Tossjo in 1864 and died in Vastergotland in 1954

He is known as a poet and novelist He was highly influenced by Viking society, but he took a

contemporary approach in his books, writing about the Fictional Viking age

Famous for The Long Ships Saga of the Viking Age This book (known as "Røde Orm" in its original Swedish) is a

great romp through theViking world, written in a sometimes humorous though always engaging saga style, combining intelligent humor and bold adventure in equal measures. Set in the height of Viking Age, it tells us how Red Orm is kidnapped by a band of marauding Vikings, then serves as a slave on a Moorish ship, becomes a mercenary among the Muslims, and finally ends up as a marauder in England

Frans Gunnar Bengtsson

Sigrid Undset

She was a Norwegian Novelist born in Kalundborg, Denmark (20 May 1882-10 June 1949)

Undset was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in Literature in 1928

Sigrid is most well known for her work Kristin Lavransdatter This book was a modernist trilogy about life in Scandinavia in

the Middle Ages which portrays the life of woman from birth until death

She also published the novel Gunnar’s Daughter a Fictional novel relating to Old Norse society

This novel's central character is Vigdis Gunnarsdatter, who is raped and delivers an illegitimate child. Vigdis schemes and broods and plots for her revenge on Viga-Ljot, and, as in many Old Norse sagas, her desire for vengeance damages both Vigdis and those around her.

Sigrid Undset

Johannes V. Jensen

(January 20, 1873- November 25, 1950) He was born in Farso a village in North Jutland, Denmark

He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1944 His masterpiece was Kongens Fald (The Fall of the King) This was a modern historical novel centered around King

Christian II and his characteristically Danish hesitancy and failures to act

He also wrote a series of six novels Den lange rejse (The Long Journey)

This is often considered his main work in prose, a daring and often impressive attempt to create a Darwinian alternative to the Biblical Genesis myth. In this work we see the development of mankind from the Ice Age to the times of Columbus, focusing on pioneering individuals including Viking age development and society

Johannes V. Jensen

Questions & Refrences http://www.photius.com/rankings/index.html http://www.photius.com/rankings/nobel_prizes_by_country_cummulative_1901_2009.html http://www.photius.com/rankings/best_universities_2008.html http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2103.html http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/worlds-best-universities/2009/10/20/worlds-best-universities-top-200.html http://www.lu.se/lund-university http://www.uu.se/en/ http://www.home.no/arild-hauge/sk-rune-valkaerra.jpg http://visitaarhus.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/dscn2715.jpg http://farm1.static.flickr.com/114/297653270_847b1b2308.jpg http://www.nordic-life.org/nmh/moltke.htm http://www.erantis.com/guide/denmark/subfiler/foto/aarhus-universitet-20060704-dsc_0016.jpg http://www.designbuild-network.com/projects/it-uni-copenhagen/images/1-it-uni-copenhagen.jpg http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__-2xERuIE_c/Rn4lvg8gpvI/AAAAAAAAAmk/UlRIiIZz0Us/s400/400_cimg2463.jpg http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/poli/images/Bergen-University.jpg http://www.library.calligraphy-mvk.ru/images/stories/librarybuilding/dania.jpg http://www.fiafcongress.org/2010/pic/nbn.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linn_Ullmann http://ifla.queenslibrary.org/IV/ifla71/papers/ullmann-full.jpg http://fogtdal.blogspot.com/2009/10/getting-high-school-kids-addicted-to.html http://nicka77.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/stieg_larsson.jpg http://helendipity.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/the-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Høeg http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/VikingThemedNovels.shtml http://www.mbhttp://www.scandinavianbooks.com/vikings/viking%20fiction.html io.au.dk/~clark/workshop/L.jpg