Hans Aanrud facts for kids
Hans Aanrud (born September 3, 1863 – died January 11, 1953) was a famous Norwegian writer. He wrote many plays, poetry, and stories. His stories often showed what life was like in the countryside of his home area, Gudbrandsdal, in Norway.
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About Hans Aanrud
Hans Aanrud grew up in a farming family. He was born and raised in Auggedalen, a valley in Gausdal. This area is part of Gudbrandsdal. He went to a grammar school. Later, he worked as a private teacher. When his books became popular, he moved to Oslo. In Oslo, he wrote reviews about books and plays. From 1911 to 1923, he also worked as an adviser at the National Theatre of Oslo.
Hans Aanrud's Stories
Many people say Hans Aanrud's children's books are classics. He became well-known for his realistic and friendly stories. These tales showed life in his home valley before factories and machines changed things. He wrote about how ordinary farmers thought and spoke. Their conversations often used local words.
Countryside Tales
Aanrud's stories often describe the beautiful landscape. Most of his tales are funny and cheerful. Sometimes, they also have sad parts. The people, the plot, and the descriptions of nature always fit together perfectly. Children are often the main characters in his stories. This made his books very popular with young readers. However, Aanrud himself meant his stories for older readers too. His tales were soon translated into other languages. They became popular in Scandinavia, Great Britain, and Germany.
Famous Children's Books
One of Aanrud's most successful stories is Sidsel Sidsærk (1903). This book is about a young Norwegian shepherdess. She gets the nickname long skirt because her new Christmas skirt is much too long. Another popular story is Sölve Solfeng (1910). It tells about a young shepherd boy who lives in a valley in Norway.
Both stories show the tough lives of country children. They often had to work hard and live far from their parents. Even with these challenges, the stories have a positive and hopeful feeling. Two collections of Aanrud's shorter stories also became very famous in Germany. These were Kroppzeug (1907) and Jungen (1910).
City Life Plays
Aanrud also wrote some comedies about city life. These plays made fun of the middle-class people in the city. However, these comedies were mostly known only in Oslo. Today, they are almost forgotten. In his play Storken (meaning stork, 1895), a simple office worker tries to become friends with rich people. He is often tricked by someone who uses his lack of knowledge. In the end, the worker finally learns the truth. Aanrud used this play to make fun of fake and dishonest behavior. He believed that the healthy country life should have a good influence on city life. He thought city life had become too artificial. He wanted country and city cultures to become closer.
List of Works
Hans Aanrud's works include:
- Storken, 1895
- En Vinternat og andre Fortællinger, 1896
- Hanen, 1898
- Sidsel Sidsærk (translated into English as Lisbeth Longfrock), 1903
- Sølve Solfeng, 1910
- Fortællinger for Barn, 1917
- Sølve Suntrap, 1926
- Collected works, 6 volumes, 1914-1915; 3 volumes, 1943
See also
In Spanish: Hans Aanrud para niños
