Alexander Kielland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alexander L. Kielland
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Kielland in later years
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| Born | Alexander Lange Kielland 18 February 1849 Stavanger, Norway |
| Died | 6 April 1906 (aged 57) Bergen, Norway |
| Occupation | Novelist, short story writer, playwright, essayist, businessman, and politician. |
| Nationality | Norwegian |
| Literary movement | Realism |
Alexander Lange Kielland (born February 18, 1849 – died April 6, 1906) was a very important Norwegian writer from the 1800s. He was known for his realistic stories. Kielland is considered one of "The Four Greats" of Norwegian literature. The other three were Henrik Ibsen, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, and Jonas Lie.
Contents
Who Was Alexander L. Kielland?
Early Life and Family
Alexander Kielland was born in Stavanger, Norway. He grew up in a wealthy family. His father, Jens Zetlitz Kielland, was a consul. Alexander's younger sister, Kitty Lange Kielland, became a well-known landscape painter.
Kielland's Writing Career
Even though he came from a rich family, Alexander Kielland cared deeply about people who were less fortunate. When he owned a factory, he treated his workers very well. As a writer, he always spoke up for the weak. He also criticized society in his books.
He was famous for his short stories. His best-known plays were the funny comedies Tre Par (1886) and Professoren (1888).
Some of his most famous novels include Gift (1883), Skipper Worse (1882), and Garman & Worse (1880). Gift (which means Poison in English) is the first book in a series. This series also includes Fortuna (1884) and St. Hans Fest (1887). In these books, Kielland made fun of the way some religious leaders acted in Norway. In Gift, he discussed how Norwegian teachers at the time preferred Latin. The story features a young boy named Marius who is very sick and keeps repeating Latin grammar.
Life as a Politician
From 1889 to 1890, Kielland worked as a journalist for a newspaper called Stavanger Avis. He mostly stopped writing fiction around 1891. After that, he only published stories that had already been printed before.
In 1891, he became the mayor of his hometown, Stavanger. He served as mayor until 1902. Then, he moved to Molde and became the county governor for the area called Møre og Romsdal.
People have wondered why Kielland stopped writing so early in his life. One idea is that he was so focused on being realistic in his writing. He might not have liked the new, more romantic styles of writing that became popular in Norway. A more likely reason is that he chose to focus on his political career instead.
Alexander L. Kielland had some health problems later in his life. He suffered from shortness of breath and gained weight.
See also
In Spanish: Alexander Kielland para niños
