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Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson
(December 8, 1832 - April 26, 1910) Norway

Bjornstjerne Bjornson

Poet, dramatist, novelist, journalist, editor,
public speaker, theatre director

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Bjørnson was born at Kvikne in the upper part of the Østerdal valley in eastern Norway, where his father was a Lutheran pastor. When Bjørnson was five the family moved to Nesset in Romsdalen, in the west of the country. He grew up in the small farming community of Romsdalen, which later became the scene of his country novels.

He completed secondary school in the town of Molde. In 1849 he went to Christiania (now Oslo) to prepare for the university's entrance exams. He entered the university in 1852 but soon abandoned his studies and joined the cultural scene. He tried his hand at journalism, and became a theatre and literary critic for the Christiania daily Morgenbladet and later edited Illustreret Folkeblad.

He also wrote short stories in a bold, refreshing style and in the autumn of 1857 made his debut with Synnøve Solbakken, the first of his peasant tales. From the start his writing was marked by clearly didactic intent; he sought to stimulate national pride in Norway's history and achievements and to present ideals.

In 1857-59 he was Ibsen's successor as artistic director at the Bergen Theatre. He married the actress Karoline Reimers in 1858 and also became the editor of the Bergenposten. Partly because of his activity with this paper, the Conservative representatives were defeated in 1859 and the path was cleared for the formation of the Liberal Party a short time later.

Bjørnson returned to Oslo in 1859 and worked for Aftenbladet, where his liberal editorials finally led to his resignation. To promote new theater and to safeguard its interests Ibsen and Bjørnson organized in 1859 the "'Norwegian Society for Theater, Music, and Language". His poem "Ja, vi elsker dette landet" ("Yes, We Love This Land") is the Norwegian national anthem.

Between 1860 and 1863 Bjørnson lived abroad, mostly in Italy, and after his return was appointed director of the Christiania Theater (1865-1867). From 1866 to 1871 he was editor of the Norsk folkeblad, which he made the mouthpiece for his ideas on political and social reform. Bjørnson's involvement in cultural and political battles marked his fiction, in which his urge to teach his readers occasionally guided his pen more than artistic aims.

As an active participant in political and cultural battles, Bjørnson's views about church and religion were much debated. After reading Hippolyte Taine, Charles Darwin and others, he made known his rejection of formal religion. This and his political views brought against him a charge of high treason. In the 1870s and '80s Bjørnson spent long times abroad and in 1881 he visited the United States.

In 1888 Bjørnson visited Finland - his first story about peasants was translated into Finnish as early as in 1862. During this journey he was received everywhere as a hero. On many occasions in the following years Bjørnson also expressed his support of Finland's struggle against Russification. In 1893 Bjørnson settled on a farm, travelling from there to Denmark, France, Germany, and Italy. He wrote of the evils of industrialization, defended oppressed minorities and joined Emile Zola in the famous Dreyfus Affair.

Later in life, Bjørnson came to think of himself as a Socialist, working tirelessly in behalf of peace and international understanding. He was the champion - through the international press - of persecuted individuals and oppressed nations, of peace and international justice. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1903, the third person to receive it. Although paralysed on one side, he continued working until his death in Paris.

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