Jens Peter Jacobsen
Jens Peter Jacobsen was a notable Danish writer and scientist, born in 1847 in the fishing village of Thisted, Denmark. His life was relatively short, ending in 1885, during which he produced a modest body of work that included two novels, a book of poetry, and several short stories. Despite the brevity of his career, Jacobsen made significant contributions to Danish literature, particularly through his novel "Niels Lyhne," which gained recognition alongside the works of his mentor, Georg Brandes, positioning him among the leading Danish writers of the nineteenth century. Jacobsen's academic journey took him to the University of Copenhagen, where he excelled in both literature and the natural sciences, eventually earning a gold medal for his thesis on a microscopic plant. His literary prowess was complemented by his scientific achievements, notably his translation of Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of Species," which played a crucial role in disseminating Darwin's ideas within Denmark. Jacobsen's unique ability to intertwine his literary and scientific interests is exemplified in his acclaimed short story, "Mogens." Overall, Jacobsen's legacy is marked by his insightful explorations of human existence and decay, making him a significant figure in both literary and scientific communities.
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Subject Terms
Jens Peter Jacobsen
Danish novelist
- Born: April 7, 1847
- Birthplace: Thisted, Jutland, Denmark
- Died: April 30, 1885
- Place of death: Thisted, Jutland, Denmark
Biography
The life of Jens Peter Jacobsen (YAH-kawp-suhn) began in the fishing village of Thisted, Denmark, in 1847 and ended there in 1885. Within that brief span of time, Jacobsen traveled very little; his one trip to France was made in an attempt to arrest the progress of the disease that eventually killed him. The body of his creative work is small, with two novels, a book of poems, and a few short stories composing the total. However, one novel, Niels Lyhne, is important enough to cause his name to be placed beside that of his friend and mentor, Georg Brandes, on the list of the foremost Danish writers of the nineteenth century.
Although it was brief, Jacobsen’s career was a full one when his scientific accomplishments are added to his literary works. He went from his small fishing village to the University of Copenhagen, where, besides reading widely in literature and philosophy, he studied tirelessly in the natural sciences. Upon his graduation in 1868, he won a gold medal for his thesis on a microscopic marsh plant.
His education completed, he devoted himself to writing in both fields, the literary and the scientific, and artfully joined his two interests in a successful short story, “Mogens,” title story of a volume of short fiction published in 1882. Jacobsen’s greatest contribution to the Danish scientific world, however, was his translation into his native language of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species (1859), completed in 1873, and his greatest contribution to literature was the scientifically discerning study of human decay presented in his novel Niels Lyhne.
Bibliography
Gustafson, Alrik. Six Scandinavian Novelists: Lie, Jacobsen, Heidenstam, Selma Lagerlöf, Hamsun, Sigrid Undset. 1940. Reprint. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1966.
Jensen, Niels Lyhne. Jens Peter Jacobsen. Boston: Twayne, 1980.
Madsen, Borge Gedso. “J. P. Jacobsen Reconsidered.” American-Scandinavian Review 1 (1962).
Østerud, Erik. Theatrical and Narrative Space: Studies in Ibsen, Strindberg, and J. P. Jacobsen. Aarhus, Denmark: Aarhus University Press, 1998.