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The 1890s: Sibjørn Obstfelder and Jonas Lie

Introduction

This lesson introduces a new unit on the 1890s. After more than a decade of fighting battles over social issues in literature, writers grew disillusioned with the enterprise and reacted against the social realism of the Modern Breakthrough by turning to literary decadence and neo-romanticism. Sibjørn Obstfelder's "Liv" demonstrates a number of decadent traits, such as urban alientation and the cult of the femme fragile. Jonas Lie's "The Cormorants of Andvaer" invokes the neo-romantic fondness for mystery and folktale elements.

Lecture

 

1. Decadence (7:39 min)	2. Sigbjørn Obstfelder, "Liv" (7:06 min)	3. Neoromanticism (15:42 min)
4. Jonas Lie, "The Comorants of Andvaer" (6:59 min)

Readings

• Obstfelder's "Liv"
• Lie's "Cormorants of Andvaer"

Both in Short Stories from Norway

Quiz

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