Tarjei Vesaas's work, written in Nynorsk, is defined by its simple, terse, and symbolic prose. His narratives frequently explore ordinary rural characters undergoing profound psychological dramas, depicted with immense insight according to critics. Themes of death, guilt, angst, and other deep human emotions are common, intertwined with the pervasive presence of the Norwegian natural landscape. Vesaas's command of the Nynorsk language has significantly contributed to its establishment as a vehicle for world-class literature.
A Norwegian man is cared for by his sister. They live a quiet life in a cottage by a lake, he fairly content with his lot. One day there arrives a woodcutter and love enters the picture. The novel describes the man's reaction at the prospect of losing his sister. By the author of The Ice Palace.
Vesaas's poetry showcases his unique sensibility and voice, offering readers a glimpse into the emotional depth and lyrical beauty that define his work. This bilingual selection includes forty-six finely translated poems, highlighting his achievements alongside his renowned fiction. The collection emphasizes the often-overlooked poetic side of Vesaas, inviting both new and familiar readers to appreciate his literary contributions beyond prose.
The House In The Dark is a powerful allegory and fable written in secret during Norway's German occupation. It vividly portrays a society's struggle to maintain unity while under the watchful eye of their invaders.
Earning its author a third nomination for the Nobel Prize, this tale centers on a crane colony arriving at its breeding ground to play out a delicate drama, ending with the rarely observed ceremony of the ritual dance. All is observed by a transfixed child who has frozen into his background and become a piece of nature himself. With a kind of cinematic impressionism, this novel voyages back to episodes from childhood, adolescence, and maturity as well as conducts speculative forays into the unknown. Unfolding in a series of delicate sketches that record the changing moods of human experience, this story is at once pervaded by a sense of melancholy and a sensuous appreciation of nature. A profound and beautiful book, it is the summation of a literary artist's first-hand experience and observation of rural life—of landscape and people.
Originally published in 1971, this English translation presents a compelling narrative that explores themes of longing and introspection. Set against a backdrop of evocative imagery, the story delves into the emotional journeys of its characters, capturing their struggles and aspirations. The title, "The Boat in the Evening," suggests a reflective tone, inviting readers to contemplate the complexities of life and relationships. Through rich prose, the book offers a profound look at human experiences and the passage of time.
In winter, the black ice cracks like a gunshot across the lake, growing thicker and darker every night. Nearby, a frozen waterfall transforms into a fantastic, baroque structure with dripping buttresses, flying spurs of ice and translucent, sparkling towers. The schoolchildren call it the ice palace. When eleven-year-old Unn arrives in the village, she avoids the other children- she lives alone with her aunt and nurses a secret grief. But her boisterous classmate Siss refuses to be ignored and the two girls strike up an intense friendship. That is, until Unn decides to explore the Ice Palace on her own, squeezing deep into its beautiful but chilling inner chambers. When Unn doesn't return home, Siss must struggle to cope with the loss of her friend, without succumbing to an ice palace of her own making.
This novel relates the events that overtake a girl and her young brother when they are left unaccompanied for the night on their parents' farm. They have to cope alone when a group of strangers call at the house after their car breaks down. číst celé
Tarjei Vesaas (1897–1970) beschreibt in »Der Keim« eine Gruppe von Inselbewohnern, die eine enge Gemeinschaft bilden. Ein Neuankömmling stört dieses familiäre Miteinander und bringt eine dunkle Wendung in den sonnigen Sommertag. Sein triebhafter Wahnsinn führt zu einem Mord, der unvermeidlich einen zweiten nach sich zieht und die gesamte Insel in Schuld verstrickt. Vesaas schrieb das Werk 1940, einige Jahre vor seinen bekanntesten Romanen, und markiert damit den Übergang zu einer symbolstarken, poetisch verdichteten Prosa mit großer psychologischer Tiefe. Der Einfluss des traditionellen skandinavischen Kollektivromans der Zwischenkriegszeit schwingt im Hintergrund mit. Besonders eindrucksvoll ist das Buch im Kontext seiner Entstehung: 1940 war Norwegen unter nazideutscher Besatzung, was die Dynamik zwischen dem düsteren Eindringling und der Gemeinschaft politisch auflädt. Vesaas gelingt es, das Unbeschriebene und Unausgesprochene mit intensiver Spannung zu füllen. Seine Fähigkeit, sich in die Figuren einzufühlen und eine körperliche Nähe zu schaffen, ist einzigartig. Die sparsame, eindringliche Erzählweise lässt jede Szene und innere Regung zum Ereignis werden, während Hinrich Schmidt-Henkel in der Übersetzung die feinen Nuancen von Andeutung und Auslassung meisterhaft einfängt.
