Knut Hamsun: Norways Literary Giant

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Knut Hamsun Norways Literary Giant

• English 11 H/ Per. 7
• March 22, 2006

1.Hamsun with Mustache
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• Knut Hamsun born Knut Pedersen, August 4, 1859 in
  Lom, Norway.
• No formal education.
• Was enslaved by uncle for many years.
• Two Wives, Berjgljot Bech and Marie Andersen
• Died in Norholm February 19, 1952 at 95 in his
  sleep.

2. Hamsun as Napoleon
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Personal Influences

• Went to Copenhagen to publish manuscript but
  rejected.
• Became extremely poor.
• Spent that winter in Kristiania in poverty.
• Set stage for Hunger, his masterpiece.

3. Map of Norway
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• Considered Norways greatest novelist.
• First to introduce modern psychological novel.
• No one in Scandinavia had written psychological
  novels before.
• Balanced humor with despair.
• Also analyzed society in later works.

4. Hamsun with Hat
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• Sult, (Hunger) 1890
• Pan, 1894
• Segelfoss Town,1925
• Growth of the Soil, 1920
• He wrote many other novels, plays and short
  stories.
• Received Nobel Prize in Literature for Growth of
  the Soil.
• Was acclaimed by critics and public for other
  works also.

6. Pan
5. Hamsun with Eyepiece
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• Knut Hamsun associated with the rise of Nazi
  Germany and the occupation of Norway.
• Strong supporter of Germany and Hitler.
• Met Hitler in person.
• After Liberation, he was fined 25,000 and fame
  and fortuned ruined.

7. Hamsun with Hitler
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2 Notable Contemporary Authors

• Ernest Hemingway- The Sun Also Rises, 1926 and
  For Whom The Bells Tolls, 1940
• Bjorsonstjerne Bjornson a author and politician.
• Wrote Dust, 1882 and Beyond Human Might, 1914

8. Hemingway
9. Bjornson
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Hunger

• Psychological novel.
• Published 1890 and 1899.
• Did not receive any awards but loved by critics.
• Theme- There are greater pains than hunger.
• Connects to Hamsuns life because of the winter
  in Christiana.

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• Critical Assesment by Harald naess of University
  of Wisconsin- Madison. (5)
• Balance between Scandinavian naturalism and
  realism.
• Russian quality, like Dostoevsky.
• Balance of humor and despair.

9. Old Hamsun
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Growth of the Soil

• Social Fair tale published, 1920.
• Won Nobel Prize for literature, 1920.
• Theme- Life in the countryside, close to nature
  can heal.
• Hamsun was a farmer and balance between nature
  and urban society.

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• Written by Wells.
• One of the greatest novels he had ever read. (5)
• Wholly beautiful.
• Saturated with wisdom and humor.

10. Hamsun with hand in pocket
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Thesis

• Early enslavement by uncle created love of
  Germany.
• Created strong themes for Hunger due to the
  poverty he lived with.

11. Hamsun Painting
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Work Cited

• 1. Ferguson, Robert. Enigma, The life of Knut
  Hamsun. London Hutchinson, 1987
• 2. Larson, H. Bjorson, Bjornstjerne. 1944
  Bartleby.com 2005. Columbia Encylopedia 2-7-06
  www.Bartleby.com/65/bj/bjerson.html
• 3. Larsen, Vars Frode. Knut Hamsun. June 1996.
  ODIN. July 9,1996 Odin. Jan 19, 2006
  Http//odin.depnolodin/engelsk/norway/hostoroy
  1032005-990484/index-dok000-b-n-a. html.
• 4. Magill, Frank N., and Carl Rollyson, eds.
  Critical Survey of Long Fiction. Vol. 1.
  Pasadena Salem, 2000.
• 5. Naess, Harold. Knut HAmsun. Dictionary of
  Literary Biography. Gale Literary Databases. Gale
  Group. Kenmore West H.S. Lib, Buffalo, NY. 12
  Van. 2006 Httpinfotrac. ltGalegroup.comgt.
• 6. Wakeman, John, ed. World Authors. New York H.
  W. Wilson, 1975.

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Picture Cited

• 1. Hamsun with Mustache. Online Image. Severske
  Listy. 3/22/2006 www.severskelisty.cz
• 2. Hamsun as Napoleon. Online Image. 3/22/2006.
  Litertaur. http//www.nrk.no/litteratur/3960919.ht
  ml
• 3. Map Of Norway. Online Image. Lonely Planet
  3/22/2006. www.lonelyplanet.com/.../
  norway/norway.htm
• 4. Hamsun with hat. Online Image. Daria. No.
  3/22/2006. www.daria.no/ skole/?tekst3780
• 5. Hamsun with eyepiece. Online Image. Answers.
  Com. 3/22/2006. www.answers.com/
  topic/knut-hamsun
• 6. Pan. Online Image. Barnes and Nobles.
  3/22/2006. http//search.barnesandnoble.com/bookse
  arch/isbnInquiry.asp?zyisbn0141180676itm4
• 7. Hemingway. Online Image. Cuba Travel.
  3/22/2006. http//search.barnesandnoble.com/bookse
  arch/isbnInquiry.asp?zyisbn0465071635itm4
• 8. Bjornson. Online Image. Wikipedia.
  3/22/2006. http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bjornstjer
  ne_Bjornson
• 9. Hunger. Online Image. Barnes and Nobles.
  3/22/2006. http//search.barnesandnoble.com/bookse
  arch/isbnInquiry.asp?zyisbn0394717813itm1
• 9. Old Hamsun. Online Image. Mundofree.
  3/22/2006. http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bjornstjer
  ne_Bjornson
• 10. Growth of the Soil. Online Image. Barnes
  and Nobles. 3/22/2006. http//search.barnesandnobl
  e.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?zyisbn03947178
  13itm1
• 11. Hamsun with hand in pocket. Online Image.
  KB. 3/22/006. www.kb.dk-
• 12. Hamsun Painting. Online Image. NB.
  3/22/2006. www.nb.no-