Nobel Prize in Literature
1 appearances
-
Edition 48 (1955) Winner
Halldór Laxness
ハルドール・キルヤン・ラクスネス
Halldór Kiljan Laxness
Aliases:
Halldór Guðjónsson
Pen Names:
Laxness（Adopted from the name of the homestead where he was raised）,
Kiljan（Name adopted at Catholic baptism）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1902-04-23 （Reykjavík, (then Danish Iceland)）
- Died
- 1998-02-08 （Reykjavík, Iceland） age 95
- Nationality
- Icelandic
- Languages
- Icelandic, English
- Religion
- Catholicism Baptized in 1923 （Baptismal Name: Kiljan）
- Residence History
- Reykjavík → Laxnes farm, Mosfellssveit (Mosfellsbær) → Clervaux, Luxembourg (abbey stay) → United States (1927–1929) → Gljúfrasteinn (house in Mosfellsbær)
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Novelist, Playwright, Poet, Essayist, Translator
- Active Years
- 1916-1998
- Affiliations
- MÍR (Society for Cultural Relations between Iceland and the Soviet Union)
- Influenced By
- August Strindberg, Sigmund Freud, Knut Hamsun, Sinclair Lewis, Upton Sinclair, Bertolt Brecht, Ernest Hemingway
- Influenced
- Guðný Halldórsdóttir (daughter, filmmaker), Halldór Laxness Halldórsson (grandson, writer/actor), Auður Jónsdóttir (grandchild, author)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reykjavík Technical School | — | — | — | 1915–1916 | Iceland |
| Reykjavík Lyceum | — | — | — | 1916–1918 | Iceland |
Reykjavík Technical School
Period:
1915–1916
Year of Graduation:
1916
Country:
Iceland
Early technical schooling; attended briefly in youth.
Reykjavík Lyceum
Period:
1916–1918
Year of Graduation:
1918
Country:
Iceland
Graduated from the Lyceum. Continued extensive self-study in languages and literature.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Nobel Prize in Literature | — | — | Nobel Foundation / Swedish Academy | 受賞 |
| 1952 | World Peace Council literary prize | — | — | World Peace Council | 受賞 |
| 1969 | Sonning Prize | — | — | Sonning Prize (awarding foundation) | 受賞 |
Nobel Prize in Literature
1955
Organization:
Nobel Foundation / Swedish Academy
Result:
受賞
World Peace Council literary prize
1952
Organization:
World Peace Council
Result:
受賞
Sonning Prize
1969
Organization:
Sonning Prize (awarding foundation)
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Salka Valka (Parts I–II)
1931 NovelA social-realist novel centered on the working-class woman Salka Valka, portraying social change and personal conflicts in Iceland.
SocialismClass and laborIndividual independence
Adaptations
- [Film] Salka Valka / Arne Mattsson (1954)
Translations
- Salka Valka (English translation)
Independent People
1934 Novel (rural epic)An epic portraying the life of Icelandic tenant farmers, tackling independence, isolation and the clash with modernization; regarded as a major 20th-century novel.
IndependenceRural lifeModernization vs. tradition
Translations
- Independent People (English translation)
Iceland's Bell
1943 Historical novelPart of a three-volume historical work exploring Icelandic national identity, colonial exploitation and the role of literature.
National identityColonialismHistory and literature
Translations
- Iceland's Bell (English translation)
The Atom Station
1948 Satirical novelA satirical novel about the political and social upheaval around the establishment of a U.S. military base; set in Reykjavík.
SovereigntyAnti-American sentimentUrbanization
The Fish Can Sing
1957 NovelA lyrical novel depicting people and culture of a provincial town; noted for its gentle tone.
CommunityMemoryNostalgia
Under the Glacier
1968 Visionary novelA visionary novel with fantastical and philosophical elements; allegorically examines religion, faith and human existence.
ReligionAllegoryExistential questions
Adaptations
- [Film] Under the Glacier / Guðný Halldórsdóttir (1989)
Translations
- Under the Glacier (English translation)
Gerpla (Wayward Heroes / The Happy Warriors)
1952 Historical novel (based on saga)A reworking of saga material that reconsiders heroism; preserves saga-like style while offering modern perspectives.
HeroismSaga literatureEthics and war
Translations
- Gerpla (English translation: Wayward Heroes)
Bibliography
- 1919: Barn náttúrunnar (Child of Nature)
- 1924: Undir Helgahnúk (Under the Holy Mountain)
- 1927: Vefarinn mikli frá Kasmír (The Great Weaver from Kashmir)
- 1931–32: Þú vínviður hreini / Fuglinn í fjörunni (Salka Valka)
- 1934–35: Sjálfstætt fólk (Independent People)
- 1943–46: Íslandsklukkan (Iceland's Bell trilogy)
- 1948: Atómstöðin (The Atom Station)
- 1957: Brekkukotsannáll (The Fish Can Sing)
- 1968: Kristnihald undir Jökli (Under the Glacier)
Adaptations
- Salka Valka (1954 film, dir. Arne Mattsson)
- Under the Glacier (1989 film, dir. Guðný Halldórsdóttir)
- Various stage adaptations (Icelandic National Theatre, etc.)
Translations by Author
- 1941: Translation of Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms into Icelandic
- 1945: Translation of Voltaire's Candide into Icelandic
- 1966: Translation of Hemingway's A Moveable Feast
Translations of Works
- Independent People (English translation)
- Iceland's Bell (English translation, 2003)
- The Great Weaver from Kashmir (English translation, 2008)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Epic narrative proseSocial realismSatire and humourSaga-influenced diction and narrative techniques
- Recurring Motifs
- Rural life and natureNational identityPoverty and justiceReligion and faith
Health
-
Alzheimer's disease1980年代後半〜1998年までAffected memory and late-life productivity; led to eventual move to a nursing home.
Legacy
Halldór Laxness brought Icelandic literature to international prominence and his 1955 Nobel Prize secured his global reputation. He is celebrated for combining national themes with social engagement in epic narratives.
Museums
- Gljúfrasteinn — Halldór Laxness Museum Mosfellsbær, Iceland
Archives
- Gljúfrasteinn archive of personal effects and papers
In Popular Culture
- Stage play 'Halldór í Hollywood' by Ólafur Haukur Símonarson
- Film adaptations by daughter Guðný Halldórsdóttir (e.g. Under the Glacier)
- Establishment of the Halldór Laxness International Literary Prize at the Reykjavík International Literary Festival
Quotes
-
… the moral principles [my grandmother] instilled in me: never to harm a living creature; throughout my life, to place the poor, the humble, the meek of this world above all others…
Source: Nobel Prize acceptance speech (1955) (1955)
Trivia
- Born Halldór Guðjónsson; later adopted the surname Laxness from the homestead where he was raised.
- Converted to Catholicism in 1923 and added the name Kiljan.
- Involved in cultural relations with the Soviet Union; received a World Peace Council literary prize in 1952.
- Suffered from Alzheimer's disease in later years and died in 1998.