The Icelandic Canadian - 01.03.1968, Blaðsíða 35

THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
33
MATTHIAS the poet and human being
as I got to know him
by DAVID STEFANSSON
English translation by GUNNAR MATTHIASSON
The name o£ Rev. Matthias Jochumsson (1835-1920) has a particularly deep significance in
the history of Iceland and Icelandic literature. His fellow-countrymen endearingly refer to him
as sera Matthias (Rev. Matthias), but besides being a church minister, sera Matthias was a
poet, a playwright, an essayist, and a distinguished translator of Shakespeare, Byron,Tennyson,
Ibsen, Tegndr, and Topelius to mention some of the more important names. North Americans
of Icelandic descent have no doubt sung or heard others sing Rev Matthias Jochumsson’s most
widely known verse, the Icelandic national anthem, G, guS vors lands!- (Our country’s Godl).
When Rev. Matthias Jochumsson died, at Akureyri in 1920, a young poet from the rural
area north of that town, David Stefansson from Fagriskogur, had just made his debut as a
poet of unusual promise. From that year until the time of his death in 1965, David Stefansson’s
position as the most celebrated poet of the Icelanders was never challenged.
Visitors to the capital city of northern Iceland will discover that the former homes of
Rev. Mattlhas Jochumsson and David Stefansson have been given the status of national shrines
preserving the memories of these two eminent citizens of Akureyri, both of whom had become
living legends long before they took leave of this world.
Shortly before his death in 1965, David Stefansson wrote his memories of Rev. Matthias
Jochumsson in the form of an article. The first part of this article is presented here in an
English translation by the eighty-five year old Gunnar Matthlasson of Los Angeles, Matthias
Jochumsson’s only surviving son.
The following explanatory remarks are intended for those who have not had the op-
portunity of acquainting themselves with Icelandic literature.
1) Glafur Davidsson, David Steffmsson’s maternal uncle ,was an eminent folklorist and a
collector of folktales.
2. ) Skuggasveinn is one of Matthias Jochumsson’s plays. Fjalla-Eyvindur by Johann Sigur-
jdnsson is the best known theatrical work ever to be written by an Icelander.
3. ) The humorous effect of the expression ‘Ertu kotninn, landsins forni fjandi?’ (Have you
arrived, you ancient foe of our nation?) is partly created by the circumstance described here.
Also, it must be remembered that this is in fact the opening line of Matthias Jochumsson’s
well-known poem in which he addressed the ‘ancient foe’ of the Icelanders, i.e., the polar ice
PART I
It was on a silent autumn evening
in Fagxaskogur that the poetry of
Matthias Jochumsson first came to
my observation. The grandfather clock
was ticking away the time, and the
hallowed sabbath, so evident in the
old sod houses, hovered all embracing.
I was eight years old and the only
listener, as my father read to me the
poem that Matthias had written about
the events that led to the assassination
of Snorri Sturluson. My father enjoyed
particularly classical and beautiful
poems and his reciting of this one
gave clear evidence of his remarkable
understanding and admiration. At the
termination of his reading of the poem
I was so upset by the account of the
tragic passing away of the great
Snorri that my father found it neces-
sary to pacify and comfort me.
Regardless of my limited under-
standing, I later proceeded to read the
poems and it was soon evident to me
that what Matthias had written was so
rich in beauty that every Icelander
should read it and attempt to under-
stand its wisdom. When I viewed his
picture on the cover of the book, I
got the impression that it was not a
true likeness of him. Surely he must
have been more distinguished looking.
His sideburns were not in style nor in
keeping with his personality as reveal-
ed by his poetry. I had heard Matthias
mentioned often, both at my home