The Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to Karl Adolph Gjellerup in 1917, a distinction he shared with his Danish compatriot Henrik Pontoppidan. Although he wrote in Danish, Gjellerup maintained a lifelong fascination with German culture, eventually settling in Germany in 1892. This decision, combined with his shifting literary allegiances, rendered him a controversial figure within his home country.
Early Naturalism and Transition
Born in Roholte in 1857, Gjellerup was raised in an idealistic environment following his father's death. During the 1870s, he aligned himself with the naturalist movement led by Georg Brandes, producing novels that addressed themes of atheism and free love. By 1885, however, he broke away from these naturalists, gravitating toward a new romanticist style. His semi-autobiographical novel Germanernes Lærling, published in 1882, documented this intellectual transformation from a conformist upbringing toward a more individualistic, pro-German perspective.
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Gjellerup's decision to settle in Germany resulted in significant isolation from the Danish literary establishment. Throughout his career, he found himself at odds with both the conservative right and the naturalist left. During the First World War, he identified closely with the German Empire, supporting its war aims. His output during this era included psychological studies like the 1889 novel Minna and the melodramatic 1896 work Møllen, while he also experimented with Wagnerian drama.
Oriental Influence and Later Work
In his final years, Gjellerup incorporated themes of Buddhism and Oriental culture into his writing. His most recognized work, the 1906 novel Der Pilger Kamanita, explores the life of an Indian merchant navigating themes of reincarnation and nirvana. Other late-period contributions included the versified drama Den fuldendtes hustru and the expansive Verdensvandrerne. His final publication, the 1919 mythological satire Das heiligste Tier, offered a rare example of his attempt at humor before his death in Klotzsche later that year.
Fast facts
- Born: 1857, Roholte
- Died: 1919, Klotzsche
- Citizenship: Kingdom of Denmark
- Nobel Prize in Literature: 1917
- Pseudonym: Epigonos
- Burial site: Alter Friedhof Klotzsche
- Key influences: Georg Brandes, Buddhism
Questions readers ask
Why was he controversial in Denmark?
He settled in Germany in 1892 and openly identified with the German Empire during the First World War, alienating both the political left and right.
What is his most translated work?
Der Pilger Kamanita (The Pilgrim Kamanita), published in 1906, which was even utilized in Thai secondary school textbooks.
Achievements
- Nobel Prize in Literature — 1917
