Swedish Language and Literature

Many of the writers, notably Fru Agrell, Fru Edgren-Leffler an.d Tor Hedberg, contributed to the theatre. To these may be added as dramatists of talent, Harald Johan Molander (1858 1900) and Ernst Didring (1868– ).

Recent Lyric Poetry.—The particular glory of the last phase of Swedish literature is its lyric poetry. A forerunner of this lyric revival was Albert Ulrik Math (1853-1912), in whom the revolt against tradition and conventions is first apparent. His earliest poems appeared in 1879. But the real starting-point for the new lyric was Heidenstram's Vallfart och vandringsdr (Pilgrimage and Wanderings, 1888), which was followed in later years by other volumes of conspicuously beautiful verse. Then, in 189r, op peared Gitarr och dragharmonika (Guitar and Accordion), the first collection of poems by Sweden's greatest modern lyricist, Gustaf Froding (186o-1911). It was followed by other collec tions—notably Stank och flikar (Sprinklings and Snippets)—of extraordinary originality, variety and haunting beauty. His later life was overshadowed by mental derangement, which left its mark on his latest work. Another of the leading lyric poets of modern Sweden was Erik Axel Karlfeldt (1864-1931), and indeed, in many respects the most subtle and delicate of them all. His Friddins visor (1898), Fridolins lustgdrd (Fridolin's Garden, 1901), and Flora och Pomona (1906) are the greatest contribu tions to Swedish poetry of his native province, Dalecarlia. The poetry of Oscar Levertin (1862-1906) introduces an exotic note and recalls the English Preraphaelites. Of the lyric talents of modern Sweden, mention can only be made here of Ola Hansson (186o-1925) whose early work (e.g., Sensitiva amorosa, 1887) provided an antidote to the harshness of Strindberg's realism ; Daniel Fallstrom (1858- ) ; F. Vetterlund (1865- ) ; Emil

Kleen (1868-98) ; Bo Bergman (1869- ) ; Vilhelm Ekelund (1880- ) ; Per Hallstrom; K. G. Ossiannilsson (1875- ) ; Gustaf Ullman (1881- ), and Anders osterling (1884- ).

Of recent literary historians and critics, most prominent are Os car Levertin, Henrik Schiick (1855- ), Karl Johan Warburg (1852-1918), Fredrik Book (1883- ), Anton Blanck (1881 ) and Martin Lamm (1880- ) ; of writers on social and educational problems, Ellen Key (1849-1926) has, with her Tankebilder (Thought Pictures, 1898), Manniskor (Men and Women, 1899), and Livslinjer (Life Lines, 1903-06), achieved an international reputation.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.-Of

older books on Swedish literary history the following have still real value: P. D. A. Atterbom, Svenska, siare och skalder (Uppsala, 1841-55) ; B. E. Malmstrom, Granddragen av svenska vittshateus historia ; C. R. Nyblom, Estetiska Studier (1873-84). The standard history of Swedish literature is H. Schack and K. Warburg, Svensk litteraturhistoria (1885, seq.; 2nd ed., 191 1-16 ; a 3rd ed. begun in 1926). Excellent is also the Svenska litteraturens historia by several collaborators and edited by 0. Sylwan (3 vols., ; in German, Ph. Schweitzer, Geschichte der skandinavischen Literatur (Leipzig, There are smaller histories by R. Steffen (5th ed., 1919) ; H. Schack, Histoire de la litterature suedoise (1923) ; H. de Boor, Schwedische Literatur (Breslau, 1924). Indispensable are the many volumes of Oscar Levertin's critical works. An invaluable anthology is provided by the series of 25 vols., Sveriges nationallitteratur, edit. by H. Schack and R. Gorson Berg (Stockholm, 1907-12), and, in smaller compass, R. Steffen, Oversikt av svensk litteraturen (4 vols., 1918 seq.).