Jón Bjarnason Academy - 01.05.1936, Blaðsíða 29

most substantial of these, a highly interesting collection of
papers on Denmark, Danish history, literature, and culture, and
the Danish national character as compared with the Icelandic.
By far not the least interesting nor the least significant part of
the volume are the numerous (about twenty) poems included,
among which are his excellent poems about Roskilde Cathedral
(“f Hroarskeldu domkirkju”) and Grundtvig (“Grundtvig”).8
The last named of these books of travel sketches, Fcrd um
fornnr stoSvar,9 is especially interesting and valuable for the
light which it throws on the author’s life and character and
for the poems included, several of which are notable for their
beauty and vigor. Generally speaking, Jochumsson’s travel
books are written in a lively, poetic style, characteristic of his
prose writings. His private letters—and he was a tireless letter-
writer—also eloquently bespeak the master of language and
the highly gifted poet.10
In literary significance Jochumsson’s dramas rank far be-
low his best lyric poetry; nevertheless they are fully deserving
of mention. His first drama, utilegumennirnir (The Outlaws),
written while he was still in college, 1861, and produced shortly
after, in February, 1862, was a pioneer work in the field of
Icelandic dramatic literature, the first noteworthy effort of its
kind in Icelandic letters of that period. It immediately found
favor with the theatre-going public, and has remained a popular
stage play down to the present day.11
Nor is its popularity surprising in view of its strong national
appeal. Though recalling similar Danish and Norwegian dramas
of the day, it is thoroughly Icelandic in theme, drawing heavily
on native folklore. The plot is vigorous and spontaneous, inter-
woven with pretty and excellently wrought songs; these consti-
tute the finest part of the play, still live on the lips of the Ice-
landic people, and have perhaps contributed most to the con-
tinued popularity of this first effort of the poet in the realm of
the drama. Youthful and faulty as the play is, it clearly reveals
considerable dramatic talent on his part.12
8 Also in the collected edition of his poems: LjoOmccli eftir Matthias
Jochumsson, Vol. V, Reykjavik, 1906, pp. 96-99 and 103-108 respectively.
9 Reprinted in Sogukaflar af sjdlfum mer, pp. 391-436.
id A selection from these together with his uncollected poems, is now in
press under the editorship of his son, Steingrlmur Matthlasson, M.D., who
also edited Sogukaflar af sjdlfum mer.
11 About the writing and the original reception of this drama see
Eirlkur Briem, op. cit.
12 This drama was first published in Reykjavik in 1864. A revised
second edition under the title of Skugga-Sveinn, appeared in Reykjavik in
1898. According to the author (Sogukaflar af sjdlfuvi mer, p. 193) these
changes, generally for the better, were made in accordance with suggestions
by the Danish poet and theatrical critic, C. K. F. Molbech (1821-1888).
Cf. the author’s preface to the second edition of the play in question.