Swedish literature

Swedish literature is the writing done in the Swedish language or by people from Sweden. It started a long time ago, with the first known text being the Rök runestone from around 800 AD during the Viking Age. After Sweden turned to Christianity around 1100 AD, writers often used Latin instead of Swedish. It wasn't until the 16th century that Swedish became a strong literary language, helped by the translation of the Christian Bible into Swedish in 1541, known as the Gustav Vasa Bible.

As education improved and society changed, many great writers helped make Swedish literature famous. Writers like Georg Stiernhielm, the first to write classical poetry in Swedish, and Carl Michael Bellman, known for fun ballads, helped shape the language. Later, August Strindberg became famous around the world for his realistic plays and stories.

In the 1900s, Swedish writers continued to shine. Selma Lagerlöf and Pär Lagerkvist both won the Nobel Prize. Vilhelm Moberg wrote beloved stories about Swedish immigrants, and detective writers like Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö, and later Henning Mankell, became famous around the world.

Today, Swedish writers are known internationally. Stieg Larsson created exciting thrillers, and Astrid Lindgren wrote famous children's books like Pippi Longstocking and Emil of Maple Hills. Even in Finland, where many people also speak Swedish, writers like Tove Jansson have made a big impact with their stories.

Old Norse

Main article: Runestone

Most runestones were made for practical reasons and are mostly interesting to historians and language experts. Some runic writings were used for magic or spells. The most famous one for literature is the Rök runestone from around 800 AD. It has the longest known message and includes parts of old stories and legends. This stone is seen as the start of Swedish literature.

Middle Ages

Main article: Early Swedish literature

When Sweden became a Christian country, it changed how people wrote and told stories. One famous stone shows old stories mixed with new Christian symbols. This shows how beliefs were changing.

During this time, most books were about laws or religion. Only a few people could write, so not many books were made. Some stories were written in rhymes, but most books were about rules or the church.

16th and 17th century

Main article: Swedish reformation and Renaissance literature

Reformation literature

The Swedish Reformation literature was written between 1526 and 1658. This was a quiet time for Swedish writing. King Gustav Vasa wanted to control what people read, so only a few religious books, like the Bible, were allowed. Many old books were destroyed. Because of this, Uppsala University lost much of its importance, and people had to go to schools in other places to study.

Even though it was a quiet time for writing, this period helped Sweden later. The Swedish Bible translation from 1541, known as the Gustav Vasa Bible, gave Sweden a common language for the first time. Also, the printing press was introduced, allowing more people to read books.

Renaissance literature

From 1630 to 1718, Sweden was a strong country known as the Swedish Empire. This time also marks the start of Swedish literature as we know it. Renaissance literature was written between 1658 and 1732. In 1658, Georg Stiernhielm wrote Hercules, the first poem in Swedish using a special style called hexametrical.

As Sweden grew stronger, more people could learn and study subjects other than religion. Writers were influenced by ideas from Germany, France, Holland, and Italy. Georg Stiernhielm, Sweden’s first poet, knew more about ancient philosophy than religious teachings. During this time, the idea that Sweden was a naturally strong country became popular in writing.

18th century

Main article: Swedish Enlightenment literature

The 18th century was a special time for Sweden, often called a Golden Age for its literature and science. During this time, Sweden made more books than ever before. This growth began during a time called the Age of Liberty (1712–1772) and with Sweden’s first freedom of the press act in 1766. This allowed more people to read books that were not about religion.

Ideas from other countries like Germany, England, and France inspired Swedish writers. French words entered the Swedish language, and new thoughts about freedom came from England. Around 1750, Swedish literature grew stronger.

One of the first big writers of this time was Olov von Dalin (1708–1763). His weekly Then Swänska Argus was based on a famous book called The Spectator. Dalin wrote about Swedish culture and history with clever and funny language. He helped make Swedish easier to use for everyday writing.

In this century, writers started using Swedish more often instead of Latin. Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778), a famous botanist, wrote books for everyone to read. Other important writers included poets Johan Henrik Kellgren (1751–1795) and Carl Michael Bellman (1740–1795).

This was also the time when women began to be recognized as writers. Sophia Elisabet Brenner (1659–1730), Sweden’s first professional female writer, started in the 17th century but continued into the 18th. Later, Anna Maria Lenngren (1754–1817) wrote influential pieces.

19th century

Romanticism

Main article: Swedish Romantic literature

In Europe, the years between about 1805 and 1840 are called the time of Romanticism. This idea also came to Sweden, especially from Germany. This busy time had many great Swedish poets, so it is called the Golden Age of Swedish poetry. It began around 1810 when new magazines appeared, rejecting old styles of writing. An important group was the Gothic Society (started in 1811), and their magazine Iduna looked back at old stories in a romantic way.

Many poets worked together for the first time during this time. Four important romantic poets were: Erik Gustaf Geijer, a history teacher; Erik Johan Stagnelius, who worked alone; Esaias Tegnér, a teacher of Greek language; and P.D.A. Atterbom, a teacher of art and thinking.

Early liberalism

The years from 1835 to 1879 are known as the early liberal time in Sweden. People felt that the Romantics had written things that were too fancy and formal. In 1830, Sweden got its first loud and clear liberal newspaper, Aftonbladet. It became very popular because of its strong opinions and criticism of how things were run. The newspaper helped change literature to be more real and use simpler language.

Many people think Carl Jonas Love Almqvist (1793–1866) was one of the greatest writers of the 19th century in Sweden. Starting in 1838, he wrote stories that challenged old ideas about marriage and church rules. One of his famous works, Det går an (1839), was still popular in Germany as late as 2004.

Naturalism, or realism

Main article: Swedish realism

From 1880 to 1900, Sweden saw a new style of writing called realism. This style showed real life and social issues. A famous writer, August Strindberg, helped start this change with his book The Red Room in 1879.

In the 1890s, new poets used more romantic styles. Selma Lagerlöf became very famous for her stories, like The Wonderful Adventures of Nils and Gösta Berlings saga. She won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1909.

20th century

It was in the 1910s that a new literary period began with the ageing August Strindberg, who published several critical articles, contesting many conservative values. With the advent of social democracy and large-scale strikes, the winds were blowing in the direction of social reforms.

The modern novel

In the 1910s, the dominant form of literary expression was now the novel. One of the earliest novelists was Hjalmar Söderberg (1869–1941). Söderberg wrote in a somewhat cynical way, at times with Nietzschean overtones, disillusionment and pessimism. In 1901 he published Martin Birck's Youth. It was appreciated by many for its literary qualities, but an even greater aspect was its depiction of Stockholm, which is widely regarded as the best portrait of Stockholm ever written. His most highly regarded work was yet to come however: Doctor Glas (1905), a tale of vengeance and passion, viewed by some as the best and most complete of all Swedish novels. Margaret Atwood, for example, has said of Doctor Glas: "It occurs on the cusp of the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries, but it opens doors the novel has been opening ever since". Söderberg's 1912 novel Den allvarsamma leken (The Serious Game) is also acknowledged as a classic in Swedish literature and is still widely read. It has been called the only romance novel of any worth in Swedish literature and has been translated to at least fourteen different languages.

Contemporary to Söderberg was Bo Bergman. Further development of the novel is associated with writers such as Gustaf Hellström, Sigfrid Siwertz, Elin Wägner and Hjalmar Bergman.

Modernism

Main article: Modernist Swedish literature

Pär Lagerkvist was one of the first modernists in Sweden. His expressionistic poem Ångest (Anguish, 1916) introduced modernist literature in Sweden. Lagerkvist also wrote prose and plays in works that addressed the great existential questions. In 1951 Lagerkvist was awarded The Nobel Prize in Literature.

Another early modernist was Birger Sjöberg whose controversial expressionistic book of poems Kriser och kransar (Crises and Wreaths) appeared in 1926. The anxiety-ridden poems was an unexpected contrast to Sjöberg's earlier success with the idyllic and popular Fridas visor (1922). Both Lagerkvist and Sjöberg had an influence on the modernist poets of the 1930s and 1940s.

Karin Boye was influenced by modernism and psychoanalysis. Boye is one of the most widely read poets in Sweden and is also known for the dystopic novel Kallocain (1940).

Proletarian literature

In 1929 Artur Lundkvist, Harry Martinson, Erik Asklund, Josef Kjellgren and Gustav Sandgren published the highly influential modernist poetry anthology Fem unga (Five Young Men).

Swedish agriculture had a system with labourers called statare, who were paid in kind only, with product and housing, comparable with the Anglo-Saxon truck system. Among the few people with this background who made an intellectual career were the writers Ivar Lo-Johansson, Moa Martinson and Jan Fridegård. Their works were important to the abolition of the system.

With works such as the novel Godnatt, jord (Goodnight, earth, 1933) that portrayed statare, Ivar Lo-Johansson became a dominating figure in Swedish proletarian literature. Moa Martinson's novels focused on poor women farm laborers and factory workers. An autobiographical novel series beginning with Mor gifter sig (My mother gets married, 1936) is widely read.

Eyvind Johnson and Harry Martinson developed the Swedish autobiograpichal novel with works such as Johnson's novel series Romanen om Olof (1934–1937) and Martinson's Flowering Nettles (1935). Johnson also took a stand against nazism in his novel trilogy Krilon (1941–1943) and wrote acclaimed historical novels. Martinson became known as one of Sweden's finest nature poets and in 1956 he published his poetic space epic Aniara. In 1974 Johnson and Martinson shared the Nobel Prize in Literature.

A well-known proletarian writer was Vilhelm Moberg (1898–1973). He usually wrote about the lives of ordinary people and in particular the peasant population. Moberg's monumental work was published shortly after the Second World War: the four-volume The Emigrants series (1949–1959), about the Swedish emigration to North America. In this work, Moberg sentimentally depicted a 19th-century couple during their move to the New World; and the many struggles and difficulties they had to endure.

Bourgeois literature

Bourgeois literature in the 1930s was written by Agnes von Krusenstjerna, Olle Hedberg and Fritiof Nilsson Piraten. Krusenstjernas portrayal of her class in the Von Pahlen-series (1930–1935) resulted in a furious debate. Notable poets of the era was Johannes Edfelt, Hjalmar Gullberg and Nils Ferlin.

The 1940s and 1950s

In the 1940s modernist literature known as fyrtiotalism was typically pessimistic with recurring themes like anguish and guilt and the works became increasingly experimental. Stig Dagerman and novelist Lars Ahlin are the best known prose writers of this era while Erik Lindegren and Karl Vennberg were the leading poets. Some acclaimed female authors such as Stina Aronson, Ulla Isaksson and the poet Elsa Grave also appeared in the 1940s.

The literature of the 1950s continued some of the themes of the 1940s but became more ironic and playful with writers such as Lars Gyllensten, Willy Kyrklund and Lars Forssell. Birgitta Trotzig, a major modernist writer whose work focus on existential questions of a religions nature made her breakthrough with De utsatta (The Exposed) in 1957. Poets associated with the 1950s are Werner Aspenström who became one of the most widely read poets in Sweden and the highly influential Tomas Tranströmer who made his debut in 1954 with 17 dikter (17 Poems).

The 1960s and 1970s

In the 1960s a new socially critical literature emerged that often focused on global perspective and anti-war themes. Journalistic documentary books was a significant literary trend with writers such as Jan Myrdal, Sven Lindqvist and Per Wästberg. Sara Lidman, a celebrated novelist of the 1950s also turned to such political writing in the 1960s, but later returned to writing novels centred on life in a small village in northern Sweden. Authors such as Per Olof Sundman and Per Olov Enquist turned to pseudo-documentary novels. Enquist later had international success with the historical novel Livläkarens besök (1999, The Visit of the Royal Physician). Lars Gustafsson, best known for his partially autobiographical novel series Sprickorna i muren (1971–78; "The Cracks in the Wall"), railed against the bureaucratic Swedish welfare state in multilayered, often metafictional novels. P. C. Jersild mixed social realism with the fantastic. Sven Delblanc wrote a series of four acclaimed historical novels about his childhood region, depicting the rural Swedish society in an unidealized way. Per Anders Fogelström had huge success with a series of widely read historical novels that followed a working-class family in Stockholm from the 1860s to the 1960s, beginning with Mina drömmars stad (City of My Dreams, 1960).

Late 20th century

Göran Tunström's novels marked a return of the joy of storytelling after the political themes of the 1970s. His novels, rich of fantasy and humour and set in his home region Värmland, reached a highpoint with Juloratoriet (1983; The Christmas Oratorio). Torgny Lindgren is one of the internationally most successful Swedish writers. His novels, set in the remote countryside of northern Sweden often deals with questions of power, oppression, and the nature of evil, such as Ormens väg på hälleberget (1982; The Way of a Serpent). Another leading novelist of the 1970s to the 1990s was Kerstin Ekman.

Lars Norén who had debuted as a poet in the 1960s emerged as a celebrated dramatist. Stig Larsson was the leading postmodern writer. Kristina Lugn was an acclaimed poet and dramatist. Katarina Frostenson, Ann Jäderlund and Birgitta Lillpers revitalized poetry.

Klas Östergren had a major breakthrough with the novel Gentlemen in 1980. A prolific author of epic novels as well as short stories Östergren became regarded as one of the leading writers. Majgull Axelsson was noted for the novel Aprilhäxan (April Witch, 1997) that mixed social realism with magic realism. Autobiographical and confessional writing had an upswing with writers such as Agneta Pleijel, Ernst Brunner and Carina Rydberg. Peter Kihlgård, Sigrid Combüchen and Inger Edelfeldt appeared as other prolific prose writers.

Poetry

Main article: Swedish Modernist poetry

In the 1930s and 1940s, poetry was influenced by the ideals of modernism. Distinguishing features included the desire to experiment, and to try a variety of styles, usually free verse without rhyme or metre.

The leading modernist figure soon turned out to be Hjalmar Gullberg (1898–1961). He wrote many mystical and Christian-influenced collections, such as Andliga övningar (Spiritual Exercises, 1932) and others. After a poetical break 1942–1952, he resurfaced with a new style in the 1950s. Atheistic on the surface, it was influential for the younger generation.

Gunnar Ekelöf (1907–1968) has been described as Sweden's first surrealistic poet, due to his first poetry collection, the nihilistic Sent på jorden (1932), a work hardly understood by his contemporaries. But Ekelöf moved towards romanticism and with his second poetry collection Dedikationen in 1934 he became appreciated in wider circles. He continued to write until his old age, and was to attain a dominant position in Swedish poetry. His style has been described as heavy with symbolism and enigmatic, while at the same time tormented and ironical.

Another important modernist poet was Harry Martinson (1904–1978). Harry Martinson had an unparalleled feeling for nature, in the spirit of Linnaeus. As was typical for his generation, he wrote free verse, not bound by rhyme or syllable-count. He also wrote novels, a classic work being the partly autobiographical Flowering Nettles, in 1935. His most remarkable work was, however, Aniara, 1956, a story of a spaceship drifting through space.

Arguably the most famous Swedish poet of the 20th century is Tomas Tranströmer (1931–2015). His poetry is distinguished by a Christian mysticism, moving on the verge between dream and reality, the physical and the metaphysical. At the same time there in the Sixties developed a strong tradition influenced by the historical avant-garde, and the Swedish movement of concrete poetry became one of the three global representants for experimental poetry at this time, with representatives like Öyvind Fahlström (who seemingly published the first manifesto for concrete poetry in the world 1954: "Hätila ragulpr på fåtskliaben"), Åke Hodell, Bengt Emil Johnson, and Leif Nylén. In a reaction against the experimental Sixties one in the Seventies took up the beat-tradition from the US, in a continued avant-garde effort which resulted in little magazines publishing poetry, a stencil movement out of which one of Swedish main poets of today – Bruno K. Öijer – grow, and developed a lyrical performance with inspiration from Antonin Artaud's "Theatre of cruelty", rock'n'roll and the avant-garde performance.

Dan Andersson (born 6 April 1888 in Skattlösberg, Grangärde parish (in present-day Ludvika Municipality), Dalarna, Sweden, died 16 September 1920 in Stockholm) was a Swedish author and poet. He also set some of his own poems to music. Andersson married primary school teacher Olga Turesson, the sister of artist Gunnar Turesson, in 1918. A nom de plume he sometimes used was Black Jim. Andersson is counted among the Swedish proletarian authors, but his works are not limited to that genre.

Drama

Several writers of drama surfaced after World War II. In the 1950s, revues were popular; some names of the era were the comedians Povel Ramel and Kar de Mumma. The Hasse & Tage duo continued the comedic tradition in 1962 and became something of an institution in the Swedish revue world for twenty years, encompassing radio, television and film productions.

With the late 1960s came a breakthrough for alternative drama of a freer nature, and theatre became more of a venue for popular tastes. In the 1970s and 1980s, the two most noted playwrights were Lars Norén (1944–) and Per Olov Enquist (1934–2020).

Children's literature

Main article: Swedish children's literature

In the 1930s a new awareness of children's needs emerged. This manifested itself shortly after World War II, when Astrid Lindgren published Pippi Longstocking in 1945. Pippi's rebellious behaviour at first sparked resistance among some defenders of cultural values, but eventually she was accepted, and with that children's literature was freed from the obligation to promote moralism.

Astrid Lindgren continued to publish many best-selling children's books which eventually made her the most read Swedish author, regardless of genre, with over 100 million copies printed throughout the world and translations into over 80 languages. In many other books Lindgren showed her fine understanding of children's thought and values; in The Brothers Lionheart about death, as well as a tale of bravery; in Mio, My Son, a fairy tale about friendship. But not all her stories had deep messages. Three books on Karlsson-on-the-Roof (1955, '62, '68) are about a short, chubby and mischievous man with a propeller on his back, who is befriended by a boy. Lindgren wrote twelve books about Emil of Maple Hills, a boy living in the Småland countryside in the early 1900s, who continuously gets intro trouble because of his pranks, yet in later life becomes a responsible and resourceful man, and the Chairman of the Municipality Council.

One of the few fantasy writers in Swedish literature apart from Lindgren was the Finnish writer Tove Jansson (1914–2001), who wrote, in the Swedish language, about the Moomins. The Moomins are trolls who live in an economically and politically independent state, without any materialistic concerns. The Moomins have appealed to people in many different countries and Jansson's books have been translated into over 30 languages.

Crime fiction

Before World War II, the Swedish detective novel was based on British and American models. After World War II, it developed in an independent direction. In the 1960s, Maj Sjöwall (1935–2020) and Per Wahlöö (1926–1975) collaborated to produce a series of internationally acclaimed detective novels about the detective Martin Beck. Other writers followed.

The most successful writer of Swedish detective novels is Henning Mankell (1948–2015), with his series on Kurt Wallander. They have been translated to 37 languages and have become bestsellers, particularly in Sweden and Germany. Mankell's detective stories have been widely praised for their sociological themes, examining the effects on a liberal culture of immigration, racism, neo-Nazism etc. Many of the stories have been filmed no less than three times, twice by Swedish companies and most recently in an English-language series starring Kenneth Branagh. But Mankell has also written several other acclaimed books, such as Comédia Infantil (1995), about an abandoned street boy in the city of Maputo.

Several other Swedish detective writers have become popular abroad, particularly in Germany; for example Liza Marklund (1962–), Håkan Nesser (1950–), Åsa Larsson, Arne Dahl, Leif G. W. Persson, Johan Theorin, Camilla Läckberg, Mari Jungstedt and Åke Edwardson. From 2004 and onwards, the deceased Stieg Larsson caused an international sensation with the Millennium Trilogy, continuing as a series with new novels being written by David Lagercrantz and Karin Smirnoff.

In the spy fiction genre, the most successful writer is Jan Guillou (1944–) and his best-selling books about the spy Carl Hamilton, many of which have also been filmed. Of Guillou's other works, the two most notable are his series on the Knight Templar Arn Magnusson and the semi-autobiographical novel with the metaphorical title Ondskan (The Evil).

Ballads

Main article: Swedish ballad tradition

The Swedish ballad tradition had been initiated by Bellman in the late 18th century. In the 19th century, poetic songwriting fell into decline with the rise of university student choirs, until it was again revived in the 1890s. Poets increasingly continued the tradition of having their poetry set to music to give it a wider audience. In the early 1900s, a lot of poetry of the 90s poets Gustaf Fröding and Erik Axel Karlfeldt had been put to music.

Arguably the most renowned Swedish troubadour of the 20th century was however Evert Taube (1890–1976). He established himself as a performing artist in 1920 and toured Sweden for about three decades. He is best known for songs about sailors, ballads about Argentina, and songs about the Swedish countryside.

Between 1962 up until his death, the most highly regarded singer-songwriter in the Swedish ballad tradition was Dutch immigrant Cornelis Vreeswijk (1937–1987). Some of his songs were leftist protest songs where he took it upon himself to speak for society's underdogs but he himself hated to be called a protest singer. His musical universe was much broader and he was for instance heavily influenced by the rich Swedish literature. After his death, Vreeswijk also gained appreciation for his poetic qualities.

Literature in pop music lyrics

This literary period began in Sweden in the 1960s, influenced by artists from England and the U.S. At first, the literary quality in Swedish pop music was little more than an imitation of foreign models, and it took until the 1970s for an independent movement to emerge. In that decade, youth grassroots music reached unprecedented popularity, and opened the possibility for unestablished artists to have their music published. Because of the common political message these bands often presented, they are classified as Progg (short for "progressive"). While few Progg-artists actually produced anything worthwhile, there were some acts who stood out. Nationalteatern were significant because they were not only a musical group, but also theatre performers; and in the talented leftist artist Mikael Wiehe (1946–) of Hoola Bandoola Band, there was a renewal of Swedish ballad writing, in the direction of high quality proletarian lyrics.

One of the rebels of the 1970s was Ulf Lundell (1949–) who abandoned the grass root movement for rock 'n roll. In 1976, he broke through in literature with his debut novel Jack, a beatnik novel that came to represent a whole generation. While critics were not impressed, the novel sold in great numbers and is still appreciated by many.

Finland-Swedish literature

Main article: Finland-Swedish literature

The Swedish language is an official language in Finland, and many people there speak it at home. This has created a rich tradition of literature in Swedish from Finland, with several famous writers. One well-known author is Tove Jansson, best loved for her Moomin books for children. She also wrote stories for older readers.

Finland-Swedish literature began in the late 1800s. Over time, many talented poets and novelists have added to this tradition, sharing their stories and poems with readers around the world.

21st century

Many new writers have appeared in Sweden since the year 2000. Some well-known names include Sara Stridsberg, Jonas Hassen Khemiri, Lena Andersson, John Ajvide Lindqvist, and Linda Boström Knausgård. Books like Popular Music from Vittula by Mikael Niemi and A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman became very popular around the world. Many writers who tell mystery stories have also gained attention as part of what people call the Nordic noir style.

Nobel laureates

Swedish writers have won the Nobel Prize in Literature for their great stories and poems. Here are some of the writers who received this award and the year they got it:

• Selma Lagerlöf, 1909 — for her great imagination and ideas
• Verner von Heidenstam, 1916 — for leading Swedish writing to a new time
• Erik Axel Karlfeldt, 1931 — for his poetry about Sweden
• Pär Lagerkvist, 1951 — for his strong mind in answering big questions
• Eyvind Johnson, 1974 (shared) — for stories about many places and times
• Harry Martinson, 1974 (shared) — for writing that shows big ideas
• Tomas Tranströmer, 2011 — for using simple pictures to show us the world

Lists of important Swedish 20th century books