Salt Lake Tribune | 1910-04-27 | Page 2 | Famous Norwegian Poet Passes Away

i FAMOUS IK! I POETNSSESil H Bjornstjcrno Bjornson, Poet, H Novelist and Dramatist, H Closes Long Career. Hi PARIS. April -26 BJornstjornc Bjorn- Hl i the Norwegian poet, novelist ami dra- Ha ( matlst, reformer, and ndvocate of unl-voraril unl-voraril peace, died here tonight, sur- ffifl ' rounded by his family. His end was HUE I peaceful, R i The. last serious Illness nf -tho novelist II " extended over nearly a year. He was S brought to ParlK for special trcaiment D In the oarlv port of last November, ac-II ac-II I companled "bv his wife anil daughter, a ' .phvslelan and nurse, and during part of M I the journey traveled with the king of U ft Denmark In the king's private car. H i In Paris, however, he was unable to H I receive the treatment for arterlo selc- H rosis from which ho wns suffering, but, Bl l notwithstanding, ho showed marked im- B I provement for a time, due entirely to his D 1 wonderful vitality. I! Again In February his death was ex-Bfllj ex-Bfllj pected momentarily, but tho crisis mm I passed, though leaving him less able to ffl: withstand the no.vt attack. During tho Weft last week ft was' apparent he could not wMF ,10ld 01,1 much longer. Prior to his death fu' nc was unconscious for some hours. H' Bjornstjcrno Bjornson was born at Sin' Kvlknc. Ostordalen, Norway. December 3ln' 1S3-- H's father was a clergyman. He Wtt completed his education at the unlvcrsl-WjUr unlvcrsl-WjUr tlos of Chrlstlanla and Copenhagen, and lUj1 first became known In consequence of Sic some articles and stories which he con-SJI con-SJI I trlbuted to newspapers. HH I In 1S57 he returned from abroad and 9 I was th st director of the theater In Ber- II gen and afterward for a short tlmo edl- M tor of the Journal Aftenbladt In Chrlstl- jjfl As a Journalist. Bjornson expressed I strong: republican opinions, which aroused Mi considerable public excitement. Finally Bf he was condemned to a year's Imprison- M f ment for treason, but escaped to Gcr- bB I manv and afterward to America and did II not return to Chrlstlanla until 1SS2. Once EIS l more he began the work of agitation Hi against the government and the union M i of the two Scandinavian kingdoms. II j! Famous as Playwright. RS I It was Ole Bull who appolntnd him to ffil the directorship of tho Bergen theater III and In 1858 he put on tho state "Hllto il J Mulda," and "Mellcm Slagene." Other Kit notable plays written by him are "Kong b Swcrre." the trlology of "Sigurd Slombe." If' and the tragedy of "Mary Stuart." His 19 1 comedv "Hanskc." was translated for II the English stage in 1894. I 1 BJornson's tlrst novel. "Slnno Eve Sol- II? bakkenj' appeared In 1S57, and on the iff celebration of Its fiftieth anniversary at if! I Chrlstlanla. the novelist received an VI t enormous number of greetings from all l t countries. It was followed by "Arnc." mil a sketch of Norwegian country life, "A i( Happy Boy." and "The Fisher Maiden," ii both stories of the peasantry. SI As a lyric poet. Bjornson took high ! rank. Ho even attempted tho composl- II tion of epic verse. He was a voluminous I writer and dramatist and In all his work 1 1 strove to become a vehicle of national 1 1 feeling, seeking to give expression to the It Norwegian spirit. He was looked upon II as one of the most stimulating Influences II for the revival of Scandinavian lltcra-