Le Nord : revue internationale des Pays de Nord - 01.06.1941, Side 162

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LE NORD
The great Danísh poet Adam Oehlenschláger, the founder of
the Danish romantic school, was also highly influenced by the
old literature, as testified by many of his principal works (“Earl
Hakon,” “The Varangians in Constantinople,” “The Gods of
the North,” etc. etc.), and down to our own days a series of
prominent Danish writers have followed in his footsteps, — I
shall only here mention the names of Carsten Hauch, Holger
Drachmann and Edvard Brandes. One name however stands
pre-eminently forth beside that of Oehlenschláger, namely N. F. S.
Grundtvig, one of the greatest religious leaders and educationists
of the North. This great man was never tired of preaching the
high value of the old Icelandic literature. He translated Snorri’s
Heimskringla, and in the Danish Folk High Schools, which owe
their origin to him, Icelandic literature has always been held in
honour and given a prominent place.
Both in Denmark and Norway of late years a few Icelandic
writers, residents in these countries, have made themselves widely
known, as Kristmann GuSmundsson in Norway, Jónas Guðlaugs-
son, Jóhann Sigurjónsson, Guðmundur Kamban, Gunnar Gun-
narsson and Tryggvi Sveinbjörnsson in Denmark. As most of the
plays and novels of these writers are originally written in Danish
or in Norwegian, they may consequently be regarded as belong-
ing to the literatures of these languages. These writers are of
great importance; they form in fact a special modern Icelandic
school in the Dano-Norwegian literature of the 2oth century.
In Sweden and Finland the influence of the old Icelandic
literature has also been great. Here it is sufficient to mention
the name of Esaias Tegnér, the author of “Frithiofs Saga,” whose
wonderful poetical treatment of the subject of an old Icelandic
prose story became world famous. The great Swedish-Finnish
poet, Johan Ludvig Runeberg was also influenced by the old
Norse poetry in his powerful epic “King Fialar,” although here
the Celtic influence from Ossian is more prevalent.
The influence of Iceland upon the other Scandinavian coun-
tries has thus been pre-eminently intellectual and literary. By
preserving the old traditions of our race it has been a factor of
high importance in kindling the patriotism of all the peoples of
the North, and in awakening their sense of brotherhood. In the
chain of feelings and facts uniting these peoples Iceland has
certainly forged some of the most important links. It has been