Johannes Vilhelm Jensen

Johannes Vilhelm Jensen (20 January, 1873 — 25 November, 1950) — the Danish novelist, the Nobel prize winner in the literature (1944).

 

He was born in Farsø, a village in North Jutland, Denmark, as the son of a veterinary surgeon and he grew up in a rural environment. While studying medicine at the University of Copenhagen he worked as a writer to fund his studies. After 3 years of studying he chose to shift careers and devoted himself fully to literature. "Danes" (Danskere, 1896) and "Einar Elkjær" (1898) became its first published novels. Already in them Jensen has proved as very observant and the subtle artist, the master of prose. The success  has come with the three-volume edition publication «Himmerland Stories» (1898, 1904 and 1910) in which the author is distinguished by masterful penetration into psychology of heroes. In the historical novel «The Fall of the King» (Kongens Fald, 1899–1902) Jensen describe tragical destiny of king Christian of II Danish (1481–1559), however soon leaves XVI century and under impression of visiting of the USA «Madame d'Ora» (1904) and «Hjulet» (1905) addresses by XIX century in novels.

 

The list of Jensen's novels is great, but it bests of them is the cycle of six novels, «The Long Journey» («Den lange rejse»), which was published in a two-volume edition in 1938. 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.

 

A plan of this epopee – to show uncontrollable progress of mankind throughout centuries. Jensen wrote also seven volumes of «Myths». In 1944 the writer has been awarded the Nobel Prize in the literature. Has died in 1950 in Copenhagen.

 

1. Wikipedia

2. Danish Literature of XIX—XX centures. -  Leningrad, 1967. Pp. 574-576.