In my quest to catch up with almost 42 years' of Norwegian culture, I've started reading English translations of Norwegian authors' work, to listen to older Norwegian music, and to seek out Norwegian art.
The latest book I've read is Knut Hamsun's Growth of the Soil, published in 1917 and which won the Nobel Prize in 1920.
It feels an unassuming book, relating the story of an initially unnamed man, finding his own, unnamed land in an unnamed area of Norway. The initial anonymity is an interesting cipher as gradually both the man and the land become known and develop. His name is Isak, the land becomes known as Sellandrå, and each grow and develop at his own hand.
The story unfolds as Isak walks into the forest with just a bag, but steadily over time he starts clearing Norwegian forest (presumably Spruce and Pine mainly) and begins to cultivate the land, growing crops (grain and potatoes) and building up small herds of sheep, goats and cows. Much of this is only possible after he acquires the help of Inger. The description of how, in the country, the relationship of man and woman develops and the social expectations and constructs in rural environments was interesting to read, and at some points reminded me of some of Thomas Hardy's work, though that was of course set a few decades later and in southern England.
I enjoyed the rhythm of the seasons and pattern of different activities relating to those: clearly different tasks are related to the times of the year, but much of this is lost in our modern day synthetic lifestyles. And it's probably one of the reasons I like to walk and backpack - to gain that closeness to the land that is lost when you are not actively involved in cultivating it.
Another intriguing aspect was the inclusion of superstition and mysticism: what was the cause of Inger's harelip and what provoked other events in the novel? How the main characters, perhaps because of their connection to the land, each experienced other worldly happenings which feel tenuous, inexplicable, but familiar. Again this reminded me of Tess as she laid in Stonehenge.
Intermingled with the earthly aspect of tilling the land, building a homestead, living in turf and wooden cabins (wooden cabins being very much in evidence here still, so easy to relate to), the advent of modern agri-industry, politics, women's suffrage, communication and city life was interwoven and adopted. Interestingly, Isak had least issue in adopting agricultural advancements, which belied his pragmatism in working the land. There is subtle arousal of who actually feels the struggle and conflict of advancement (Hamsun himself recommended that Norway build on agriculture as her future). Internal struggles of different social development, self expression and awareness were artfully depicted (well of course, who am I to disagree with a Nobel committee!), as well as a somewhat difficult, for me description of the relationship to Lapplanders but on which I have no evidence to counter.
Reading the Growth of the Soil helped me feel slightly more connected to my new country, and I shall certainly read more of Knut Hamsun's work, though I understand other works are written in a different vein. Per Pettersen's Out Stealing Horses is said to be influenced by this particular work, and I can well understand why, with the references to farming on whatever scale, the relationship to other landowners, the equivalent of gentry folk, and village social structures. I shall attempt to read that one in Norwegian soon!
Hamsun has been a controversial figure in Norway: a Nazi sympathiser he was charged after the war. For me this didn't detract from the book, and in the edition I read (Penguin Classics), there is a short analysis in the Introduction about whether the man who produces art can be separated from the man who cultivates such views. Now his books have become much more popular, but there was a period during which it seems he was castigated and not included in mainstream Norwegian literature.
In print for almost 100 years, the book has been published with many different jackets. Reminding me of an exhibition of Socialist posters from the time of Russian influence (National Library, Feb 2013), the dynamic of this edition's figure, with a scythe, that productive energy and purposeful attitude is somewhat different to the image I carry of Isak. He is no less productive than this image suggests, but more pragmatic and perhaps stoic than dynamic in my eyes.
All in all, for people interested in Norway, I would recommend this novel for an understanding of the country and its development, to gain some appreciation of folklore and superstition and the societal struggles the countrymen went through. I shall definitely re-read this in the future.
The latest book I've read is Knut Hamsun's Growth of the Soil, published in 1917 and which won the Nobel Prize in 1920.
It feels an unassuming book, relating the story of an initially unnamed man, finding his own, unnamed land in an unnamed area of Norway. The initial anonymity is an interesting cipher as gradually both the man and the land become known and develop. His name is Isak, the land becomes known as Sellandrå, and each grow and develop at his own hand.
The story unfolds as Isak walks into the forest with just a bag, but steadily over time he starts clearing Norwegian forest (presumably Spruce and Pine mainly) and begins to cultivate the land, growing crops (grain and potatoes) and building up small herds of sheep, goats and cows. Much of this is only possible after he acquires the help of Inger. The description of how, in the country, the relationship of man and woman develops and the social expectations and constructs in rural environments was interesting to read, and at some points reminded me of some of Thomas Hardy's work, though that was of course set a few decades later and in southern England.
I enjoyed the rhythm of the seasons and pattern of different activities relating to those: clearly different tasks are related to the times of the year, but much of this is lost in our modern day synthetic lifestyles. And it's probably one of the reasons I like to walk and backpack - to gain that closeness to the land that is lost when you are not actively involved in cultivating it.
Intermingled with the earthly aspect of tilling the land, building a homestead, living in turf and wooden cabins (wooden cabins being very much in evidence here still, so easy to relate to), the advent of modern agri-industry, politics, women's suffrage, communication and city life was interwoven and adopted. Interestingly, Isak had least issue in adopting agricultural advancements, which belied his pragmatism in working the land. There is subtle arousal of who actually feels the struggle and conflict of advancement (Hamsun himself recommended that Norway build on agriculture as her future). Internal struggles of different social development, self expression and awareness were artfully depicted (well of course, who am I to disagree with a Nobel committee!), as well as a somewhat difficult, for me description of the relationship to Lapplanders but on which I have no evidence to counter.
Reading the Growth of the Soil helped me feel slightly more connected to my new country, and I shall certainly read more of Knut Hamsun's work, though I understand other works are written in a different vein. Per Pettersen's Out Stealing Horses is said to be influenced by this particular work, and I can well understand why, with the references to farming on whatever scale, the relationship to other landowners, the equivalent of gentry folk, and village social structures. I shall attempt to read that one in Norwegian soon!
Hamsun has been a controversial figure in Norway: a Nazi sympathiser he was charged after the war. For me this didn't detract from the book, and in the edition I read (Penguin Classics), there is a short analysis in the Introduction about whether the man who produces art can be separated from the man who cultivates such views. Now his books have become much more popular, but there was a period during which it seems he was castigated and not included in mainstream Norwegian literature.
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| Erling Nielsen 1897–1954 (sign. EN) Hele folket i arbeide By og land hand i hand Det norske Arbeiderparti, 1933 Litografi. 60,5 x 40,5 cm Arbeiderbevegelsens Arkiv og Bibliotek. Mag.sign. P8 © Arbeiderpartiet/Arbark |
In print for almost 100 years, the book has been published with many different jackets. Reminding me of an exhibition of Socialist posters from the time of Russian influence (National Library, Feb 2013), the dynamic of this edition's figure, with a scythe, that productive energy and purposeful attitude is somewhat different to the image I carry of Isak. He is no less productive than this image suggests, but more pragmatic and perhaps stoic than dynamic in my eyes.
All in all, for people interested in Norway, I would recommend this novel for an understanding of the country and its development, to gain some appreciation of folklore and superstition and the societal struggles the countrymen went through. I shall definitely re-read this in the future.
Oh wow, I really should pick up a copy of that book, I think my own understanding of the history of Norway and its culture could do with bit of brushing up. Hope you are enjoying the Norwegian summer, and get outdoors enough too!
ReplyDeleteIf you find any good ones, please let me know! It's a pleasure to read books written by Norwegian authors when outdoors next to a tent :) Thanks for dropping by, and I hope we get to meet sometime!
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