Niels Lyhne

As one of the most important authors of the Danish language, Jens Peter Jacobsen body of work is small, including just two novels, seven short stories, and a volume of poetry. Considered his masterpiece, “Niels Lyhne” was first published in 1880 and was instantly heralded as a critical success. Jacobsen’s novel follows the life of the titular character, a dreamy and romantic aspiring poet who struggles to make sense of a cruel and indifferent world. Torn between a childishly idealized vision of what life would be like and the more practical demands of surviving in the modern era, the idealistic Niels evolves from an innocent child into a disillusioned adult. His journey of discovery is one of conflict: from religious faith versus objective reason, of romanticism versus harsh realism, and ultimately loneliness in a godless world versus the desire for love and acceptance. As a foundational work of the Naturalist literary movement “Niels Lyhne” greatly influenced the works of Henrik Ibsen, Hermann Hesse, Thomas Mann, and Rainer Maria Rilke and firmly established Jacobsen as one of the greatest authors of Danish literature. This edition follows the translation of Hanna Astrup Larsen.