Ole Johan Samsøe

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Ole Johan Samsøe

Ole Johan Samsøe (born March 21, 1759 in Næstved , Zealand , † January 24, 1796 in Copenhagen ) was a Danish poet .

life and work

Samsøe wrote his first story Frithiof using the Icelandic legend for a society of young men of the same kind, including Knud Lyne Rahbek . From 1782–84, Samsøe went abroad, mostly in Rahbek's company, and after his return worked as a page teacher for a while . Icelandic sources also form the basis of his story Hildur .

The two mentioned Nordic stories by Samsøe, Frithiof and Hildur , as well as his work Halfdans Sønner , which belongs to the same direction and which were written less in the Nordic spirit than in the sentimental-moral genre of the time, were successful when they were published, but are difficult to read today.

On the other hand, Samsøe's last major work, the tragedy Dyveke (1795; also translated into German, Altona 1798, Copenhagen 1810), is of lasting value , even if it is written in the spirit of the times. The author had many plans for other tragedies when he suddenly died in early 1796 at the age of only 36. His Digteriske Skrifter (1796; 3rd ed. 2 vol., 1805) was published by his friend Rahbek with a short biography.

literature

personal data
SURNAME Samsøe, Ole Johan
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Samsoe, Ole Johan
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Danish poet
DATE OF BIRTH March 21, 1759
PLACE OF BIRTH Næstved
DATE OF DEATH January 24, 1796
Place of death Copenhagen