Two years after Runeberg's death, in 1879, there appeared a novel in Sweden under the title 'The Red Room' by August Strindberg, which inaugurated a new type of Realism and a new literary era. A few years later Geijerstam attempted in his first novel 'Erik Grane' to epitomize the great intellectual and social revolution which had gradually spread from one country to the other and was in spired by three constructive ideals: a political and social democracy, a reconciliation of science and religion, and a new aesthetic creed which subordinated beauty to truth. The command ing figure in this movement is August Strind berg, epochmaking in all fields of literature and- at all times seeker of truth. Most of his writings are now accessible in English translations. Gustav af Geijerstam (1858 1909) who as a novelist has gained great popularity both in Sweden and Germany, is practically unknown to the American reader. This may be explained from the distinctly national or even provincial character of his art, partly from the peculiar inwardness and subtlety of his analysis which avoids striking plots or situations and instead delves down into the deeper strata and hidden recesses of soul life. However, such stories as (Astray in Life,' (Pastor Hallin,' or some of his short stories deserve to be translated and might ap peal more than some of Strindberg's rather morbid productions. Among the younger fol lowers of the new realism may be mentioned Albert Engstriim, editor of the periodical 'Strix' and known through his descriptions of peasant life, sailors and fishermen. Two Swed ish American novels may be added, one by Hilma Angered-Strandberg, called The New World' describing the struggle and failure of two people who have come to this country, the other by Henning Berger, 'Isail' which contains a splendid description of Chicago as the great melting pot of races. The influence of Maupassant and Flaubert is noticeable in Hjalmar Soderberg's clever sketches of Stock holm society ((Historietten' and (Blunders' ), as well as in his novel 'Martin Birk's Youth,' a story of disillusioned youth. Sigerid Siwertz, a short story writer, seems to develop in a similar direction, as f. i., in his collection 'The New Robinson.' Since 1890 the pendulum seems to have swung back in the opposite direction of an idealistic or neoromantic interpretation of life.
Such is the literary creed of Selina Lagerkif, the leading writer of the day, whose wondrous tales from Gosta Berling to the 'Emperor of Portugallia) are being read in many languages. Her art certainly bears out Walter Pater's definition of the romantic as 'strangeness added to beauty.' Far less known is Verner von Heidenstam, author of the ‘Karolinerna,) a series of tales grouped around the heroic figure of Charles XII. This book has already be come a classic. Oscar Levertin (died in 1906) may be regarded as the leading critic and essayist of this school. His earlier lyrics, like those of Heidenstam's, reveal a dreamy brood ing mysticism and great delicacy of feeling.
Even more elusive are Ola Hansson's inter pretations of nature and soul-life in his 'Sensi tiva amorosa' and Ofeg's Ditties' (transl. by G. Egerton). Per Hillstrom has attracted attention as a stylist of pronounced individuality and a lover of southern beauty in a number of delicately chiseled stories and sketches. His prose writings correspond some what to the lyrical poetry of Count Snoilsky (died 1903), which is distinguished by great formal beauty and its rich cultural suggestive ness. Quite an opposite type, though equally great in his way, is Gustaf Froding (died 1911), who renewed the impressionism of Bellman and his model Robert Burns but covers a wider range of experience. He is an enthusiastic worshipper of life tempered by an element of irony and even cynicism. and Ac cordion' 1891). The youngest generation is represented by the Finlander Gripenberg, the naturalists Bath and Bo Bergman, and Sig mund Agrell, a follower of Hallstram. Present day novelists are Sven Lidman (the life of Swedish nobility), Gustaf Janson (cosmopoli tan and visionary), Mathilde Roos (conserva tive). A group of writers make Norrland, the country of sawmills, the background of their novels, like Erik Forsslund in (Storgarden,' Martin Koch, Olaf HOgberg, L. Nordstrom. The drama, at all times strangely unproductive in Sweden, has little to show, since the days of Strindberg, but temporary successes like Hall strom's charming Comedy,' Harold Morlander's and Stiderberg's trud' (1906). The most promising dramatist of the day is Ernst Didring.
Bibliography.— The best anthology is the (Lasebok svensk litteratur' by Hildebrand, Bergstadt and Bendixson (Stockholm 1897). Of older histories of literature may be mentioned Malmstrom, Grunddragen af svenska vitter hetens historic, Oerebro 1866-69. The best modern book is the (Illustrerad svensk littera turhistoria' by Schiick and Warburg (2d ed., 1912-16). The only English treatment of Swedish literature, but extending only to 1880, is to be found in Horn's (History of the Literature of the Scandinavian North' (translated by Rasmus Anderson, Chicago 1884). 'It contains valuable and quite extensive bibliographical material, especially in the field of English translations. Very few articles have appeared in American magazines within the last 20 years, one by Har boe, Silhouettes of some Swedish writers, in the Bookman (October 1906) ; another by Stork on Gustaf Froding (in the North American, Vol. 204). G. Brandes has written short essays on a number of modern Swedish writers which are to be found in Vol. III and XVII of his 'Samlade Skrif ten.' Runeberg is treated by Gosse in his 'Northern Studies,' London 1879. For general reference consult the svensk bok katalog (1866 et seq.) and the arskatalog for svenska bokhandeln.
•wsi.n A. Boumcz, German Department, University of Michigan.