Jonas Lie by Hjalmar Hjorth Boysen
The novel revolves around the life of Jonas Lie, a Norwegian writer and poet. It explores his relationships with women, particularly his wife, and his struggles with depression and anxiety. The story delves into the complexities of Lie's personality, revealing both his creative genius and his personal demons. Through a non-linear narrative, the book examines the tensions between Lie's public image and private life, ultimately portraying him as a multifaceted individual torn between artistic expression and emotional turmoil.
By Hjalmar Hjorth Boysen · First published 1906 · Genre: Realism, Biography, Literary Criticism · 10,661 words
First lines
The last Norwegian novelist who is in the Parisian sense _arrive_ is Jonas Lie.[12] The _Figaro_ has occupied itself with him of late; and before long, I venture to predict, London and New York will also have discovered him. English versions of a few of his earlier novels appeared, to be sure, twenty years ago -- in very bad translations -- and accordingly attracted no great attention. "The Visionary," which has recently been published in London, has had better luck, having been accorded a flattering reception. Of its popular success it is yet too early to speak. But even if Jonas Lie were not about to knock at our gates, I venture to say that I shall earn the gratitude of many a reader by making him acquainted with this rare, complex, and exceedingly modern spirit. For Jonas Lie is not (like so many of his brethren of the quill) a mere inoffensive gentleman who spins yarns for a living, but he is a forceful personality of bright perceptions and keen sensations, which has chosen to express itself through the medium of the novel. He dwells in a many-windowed house, with a large outlook upon the world and its manifold concerns. In a score of novels of varying degrees of excellence he has given us vividly realized bits of the views which his windows command. But what lends their chief charm to these uncompromising specimens of modern realism is a certain richness of temperament on the author's part, which suffuses even the harshest narrative with a rosy glow of hope. Though, generally speaking, there is no very close kinship between him and the French realists, I am tempted to apply to him Zola's beautiful characterization of Daudet: "Benevolent Nature placed him at that exquisite point where reality ends and poetry begins. " Before he had yet written a single book, except a volume of flamboyant verse, Bjoernson said of him in a public speech: "His friends know that he only has to plunge his landing-net down into himself in order to bring it up full."
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Jonas Lie is listed on Textopian as a novel by Hjalmar Hjorth Boysen, dated 1906 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Hjalmar Hjorth Boysen
- Date: 1906 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Realism, Biography, Literary Criticism, Historical, Psychological
- Length: 10,661 words
- Structure: 1 section, 51 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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Similar titles
- The Earth Draws by Jonas Lie
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Genres
- Realism — The book is noted for its vivid depictions of reality and the author's keen observations of society, aligning with the characteristics of realism.
- Biography — The narrative includes detailed accounts of Jonas Lie's life, his ancestry, and personal experiences, which are central to the book's content.
- Literary Criticism — The text provides critical analysis and commentary on Jonas Lie's works and his place in literature.
- Historical — The book discusses historical contexts and events that influenced Jonas Lie's life and works.
Tags
Biography · Norwegian Literature · Autobiographical Fiction · Coming-of-Age Story · Social Commentary · Realism · 19th Century Literature · National Identity · Cultural Heritage · Family Dynamics · Youthful Rebellion · Self-Discovery