Life and views

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Life and Views (Danish: Levnet og Meeninger ) is the autobiography of the Danish national poet Johannes Ewald . It was written in 1774/1778, but was not fully published until 1855.

History of origin

In 1773 Johannes Ewald was brought from Copenhagen by his mother and her parish priest Schønheyder to the fishing village of Rungsted further north on the Øresund . In Copenhagen he had led a dissolute life with alcohol and women. He lived in the local inn, which is now called Rungstedlund , and as a museum for Karen Blixenis being used. He spent two of his happiest years there until 1775. He was extremely productive as a writer. There he also wrote most of his autobiography, which was not originally intended for publication because he intended to become a bourgeoisie. He hoped for a sufficiently endowed titular professorship and also wanted to get married. The text should therefore serve the practical purpose of a written defense. When he compiled his Collected Writings , his life and views were not included. Nowadays it is one of the classics of Danish literature.

Content, style and role models

In 1759 Johannes Ewald fled with his older brother from Copenhagen towards Prussia . He planned to take part in the Seven Years' War to make a career quickly. He wanted to become engaged to his beloved Arendse Huulegaard, with whom he had recently fallen in love. This situation is the starting point of life and views . The two brothers are in Hamburg. While Johannes reports to the Prussian ambassador and is actually accepted, his brother is anxious and has notified his parents. But Johannes escapes in time on a boat that goes down the Elbe to Magdeburg . When he stops at a customs office, he takes a bottle of wine from the captain's supply and climbs up one of the hills on the Elbe and drinks. This is now the starting point for wide digressions about his previous life and his views on various things, especially alcohol and love. Stylistically, the book fluctuates between descriptions, satirical sharpness and highly poetic sections. In addition to the autobiography of Jean-Jacques Rousseau , Les Confessions ( The Confessions ), the life and views of Tristram Shandy, gentleman of Laurence Sterne, is the great model of life and views , as the assumption of the title shows . This applies not only to direct allusions, but also to the style characterized by digressions.

expenditure

  • Mr. Panthakak's history. Levnet and Meeninger. Det danske Sprog- og Litteraturselskab 1988. ISBN 87-418-8487-6 . Edited by Johnny Kondrup.
  • Life and views . BoD 2011. ISBN 9783844-801361 . Translation from Danish by Martin Abraham.

literature

  • Martin Abraham. Epilogue to the 2011 translation.
  • Johnny Kondrup. Epilogue to the Danish edition from 1988.
  • Keld Zeruneith. More fortunate . 1985

Web links