Margrethe Munthe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Margrethe Munthe
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| Born |
Margrethe Aabel Munthe
27 May 1860 Elverum, Norway
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| Died | 20 January 1931 (aged 70) |
| Nationality | Norwegian |
| Occupation | teacher, children's writer, songwriter and playwright. |
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Notable work
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Margrethe Munthe was a talented Norwegian woman who lived from 1860 to 1931. She was a teacher, but she is best known for writing songs and plays for children. Many of her songs are still very popular in Norway today.
Early Life and Family
Margrethe Aabel Munthe was born on May 27, 1860, in Elverum, Norway. Her father was Christopher Pavels Munthe, a doctor. Her mother was Christine Margrethe Pavels Aabel.
Margrethe had several siblings who also became famous. Her brother Hartvig Andreas Munthe was a historian. Another brother, Gerhard Munthe, was a well-known painter.
Her Career as a Teacher
Margrethe Munthe went to school at Hartvig Nissen's school for girls in Christiania. She finished her middle school exams in 1879. After school, she worked as a private teacher, called a governess, for a year.
Later, she ran her own private school in Langesund. She continued her studies and became a certified teacher in 1883. Margrethe worked as a primary school teacher in Kristiania for many years. She taught at Vaterland primary school and later at Bolteløkka primary school until 1920.
Writing Songs and Plays
Margrethe Munthe wrote many song lyrics for children. She often used old folk tunes or psalm melodies for her songs. Many of these songs are still sung by children in Norway today.
Some of her most famous songs include "Hurra for deg som fyller ditt år!" (which means "Hooray for you on your birthday!"), "På låven sitter nissen" (about a gnome in the barn), and "Jeg snører min sekk" (about packing a backpack).
She also published songbooks called Kom, skal vi synge (Come, let's sing). These books came out in three parts between 1905 and 1918. Besides songs, Margrethe wrote plays for children. One of her fairytale comedies was Aase Fiskerjente, published in 1912.
Her Lasting Impact
Margrethe Munthe's songs have been loved by many generations. In the 1960s and 1970s, some people thought her songs were too old-fashioned or "moralizing." However, by the 1990s, her songs became popular again. People started to see them as charming pieces from a different time.
Many artists have recorded her songs. Singer Wenche Myhre included several of Munthe's songs on her albums in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. Other artists like Åse Thoresen and Ingebrigt Davik also released albums featuring her work. Her songs continue to be a part of Norwegian children's culture.
