Esaias Tegnér
Esaias Tegnér (1782-1846) was a prominent Swedish poet, bishop, and member of the Swedish parliament, recognized as one of Sweden's leading national poets. Born in Värmland, he faced the loss of his father at a young age but eventually earned a degree in philosophy from the University of Lund, where he later served as a lecturer and professor of Greek for over two decades. Tegnér gained significant acclaim with his 1808 poem "War Song of the Militia of Scania," and further distinguished himself with his patriotic work "Svea," which won the Swedish Academy's grand prize in 1811. He was instrumental in founding the Gothic League, a group that sought to preserve traditional Swedish literary forms against modern influences. His major works include "The Children of the Lord's Supper," "Frithiof's Saga," and the narrative poem "Axel," with the latter two being widely translated and celebrated across Europe. In 1824, he became the bishop of Växjö, but his tenure was marked by health issues that affected his mental well-being. Despite these challenges, he continued his ecclesiastical duties until his death, leaving behind unfinished epic poems, including "Gerda" and "Kronbruden."
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Esaias Tegnér
Swedish poet
- Born: November 13, 1782
- Birthplace: Kyrkerud, Sweden
- Died: November 2, 1846
- Place of death: Östrabo, Sweden
Biography
Esaias Tegnér (tehng-NAYR), born in the Värmland district of Sweden in 1782, was the son of Esaias Lucasson, a clergyman who changed his name to Tegnerus, after the town of Tegnaby in Småland. The poet subsequently changed his name to Tegnér. Left fatherless in childhood, the boy received some tutoring through the assistance of the crown bailiff and later, with the aid of his brother’s employer, was able to enter the University of Lund. After receiving his degree in philosophy in 1802 Tegnér remained at the university as lecturer and professor of Greek for twenty-two years. During this period he gradually became recognized as Sweden’s leading national poet. After some early failures, he achieved overnight fame in 1808 with his “War Song of the Militia of Scania.” Three years later his patriotic poem Svea won him the grand prize of the Swedish Academy.
Together with Arvid Afzelius and Erik Geijer, Tegnér developed the Gothic League, which opposed modernist European trends in Swedish literature, and in 1819 he was appointed a life member of the academy. Drawing principally on Icelandic sagas and Norse folk tales, Tegnér made his great contributions to Swedish literature in The Children of the Lord’s Supper, which was made famous by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1841 translation; Frithiof’s Saga, now translated into almost every European language; and his long narrative poem Axel.
In 1824 Tegnér was named to the bishopric of Växjö, but his health broke under the burden of diocesan and parliamentary duties, and for a time he became mentally ill. He recovered sufficiently, however, to fulfill the duties of his church office from 1841 until his death at Östrabo in 1846. Two epic poems, Gerda and Kronbruden, remained unfinished when he died.
Bibliography
Bellquist, John Eric. “Tegnér’s First Romantic Poem.” Scandinavica 31, no. 1 (May, 1992).
Boyesen, Hjalmar Hjorth. “Esaias Tegnér.” In Essays on Scandinavian Literature. Reprint. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1911.
Brandes, Georg Morris Cohen, and Rasmus Bjorn Anderson. Creative Spirits of the Nineteenth Century. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1923.
Hilen, Andrew R. Longfellow and Scandinavia: A Study of the Poet’s Relationship. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1947.
Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. “Tegnér’s Frithiofs Saga.” The North American Review 45, no. 96 (July, 1837): 149-185.
“Tegnér.” The Saturday Review 60, no. 1557 (August 29, 1885): 280-282.
Werin, Algot Gustaf. Tegnér. 2 vols. Stockholm: Dictum, 1974-1976.