Dorothe Engelbretsdatter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dorothe Engelbretsdatter
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 16 January 1634 Bergen, Norway |
| Died | 19 February 1716 (aged 82) |
| Pen name | "Bergens Debora" |
| Occupation | Poet and Hymn Writer |
| Nationality | Norwegian |
| Notable works | Siælens Sang-offer (1678) Taare-Offer (1685) Et kristeligt Valet fra Verden (1698) |
| Spouse | Ambrosius Hardenbeck |
Dorothe Engelbretsdatter (born January 16, 1634 – died February 19, 1716) was a famous Norwegian writer. She is best known for her deeply religious poems and hymns. Many people consider her to be Norway's very first recognized female author. Some even call her Norway's first feminist, long before the idea of feminism became well-known.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Dorothe Engelbretsdatter was born in Bergen, Norway. Her father, Engelbret Jørgenssøn, was a very important person. He was the head of Bergen Cathedral School and later became the dean of Bergen Cathedral. Her mother was Anna Wrangel.
When she was young, Dorothe spent some time in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark. In 1652, she married Ambrosius Hardenbeck. He was a writer who was known for his detailed funeral speeches. In 1659, he took over her father's job at the Cathedral. Dorothe and Ambrosius had nine children together, five sons and four daughters.
A Trailblazing Writer
In 1678, Dorothe published her first book, called Siælens Sang-Offer. This book was a collection of hymns and religious poems. It was published in Copenhagen and became incredibly popular. Many people believe that the poems in this first book were her best work.
Because of her success, Dorothe was invited to visit Denmark. She was even presented at the royal court in Copenhagen. She also met Thomas Hansen Kingo, a very important Danish poet. They greeted each other by making up poems on the spot! People said Dorothe's reply was much cleverer.
King Christian V of Denmark-Norway was so impressed that he gave her a special gift. She would never have to pay taxes for the rest of her life! Her next major work, Taare-Offer (published in 1685), was dedicated to Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Cassel, who was the wife of King Christian V.
Later Life and Challenges
Dorothe faced many sad times in her life. In 1683, her husband, Ambrosius, passed away. Out of her nine children, seven died when they were young. Her two adult sons lived far away from her in Bergen.
In 1702, a huge fire destroyed 90 percent of the city of Bergen. Dorothe lost her home in this terrible event. She didn't get a new house until 1712. Her deep sadness is clear in some of her poems, like Afften Psalme (Evening Psalm).
Despite these difficulties, she continued to write. In 1685, her second major work, Taare-Offer (Tear-Offering), was published. It was a long religious poem divided into four parts. In 1698, she released a third book of sacred poems called Et kristeligt Valet fra Verden (A Christian Farewell from the World).
Dorothe Engelbretsdatter passed away on February 19, 1716.
Her Published Works
Her complete writings were later published in two volumes:
- Volume 1 (published in 1955)
- Volume 2 (published in 1956)
A newer edition of her works was released in 1999, so more people could read her important poems and hymns.
See also
- Petter Dass
- Cille Gad
