Nordic Council Literature Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 14 (1974) Winner
Villy Sørensen
ヴィリー・ソーレンセン
Villy Sørensen
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1929-01-13 （Frederiksberg）
- Died
- 2001-09-16 （Copenhagen） age 72
- Nationality
- Denmark
- Languages
- Danish
- Residence History
- Copenhagen → Frederiksberg → Freiburg (study)
Career
- Occupations
- author, philosopher, essayist, literary critic, translator, editor
- Active Years
- 1953-2001
- Affiliations
- Danish Academy
- Memberships
- Danish Academy
- Influenced By
- Franz Kafka, Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Arthur Schopenhauer, Karl Marx
- Influenced
- Klaus Rifbjerg (contemporary Danish writer and collaborator)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vestre Borgerdydskole | — | — | — | — | Denmark |
| University of Copenhagen | — | Philosophy | — | — | Denmark |
| University of Freiburg | — | Philosophy | — | — | Germany |
Vestre Borgerdydskole
Year of Graduation:
1947
Country:
Denmark
Completed secondary education
University of Copenhagen
Philosophy
Country:
Denmark
Attended but did not obtain a degree. Later received an honorary degree.
University of Freiburg
Philosophy
Country:
Germany
Studied philosophy as a visiting student
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Grand Prize of the Danish Academy | — | — | Danish Academy | 受賞 |
| 1974 | The Nordic Council's Literature Prize | — | — | Nordic Council | 受賞 |
| 1983 | Hans Christian Andersen Award | — | — | IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) | 受賞 |
| 1986 | Swedish Academy Nordic Prize (inaugural) | — | — | Swedish Academy | 受賞 |
Grand Prize of the Danish Academy
1962
Organization:
Danish Academy
Result:
受賞
The Nordic Council's Literature Prize
1974
Organization:
Nordic Council
Result:
受賞
Hans Christian Andersen Award
1983
Organization:
IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People)
Result:
受賞
Swedish Academy Nordic Prize (inaugural)
1986
Organization:
Swedish Academy
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Strange Stories
1953 Short stories, ModernismPublished in 1953. An early collection of short stories considered a starting point for Danish literary Modernism, exploring absurd and hidden aspects of the human psyche.
absurdityhuman psychemodernism
Translations
- Tiger in the Kitchen and Other Strange Stories (English translation)
Harmless Tales
1955 Short storiesA 1955 collection of short stories addressing the strangeness and ethical questions lurking beneath everyday life.
everyday absurdityethics
Tutelary Tales
1964 Short storiesPublished in 1964. A collection of short stories that allegorically examines paternalistic/control mechanisms and individual autonomy.
powerindividual vs society
Seneca: The Humanist at the Court of Nero
1976 Essay, PhilosophyAn essayistic study on Seneca, using the ancient philosopher to reflect on contemporary ethics and power.
ancient philosophyethicscritique of power
Another Metamorphosis & Other Fictions
1990 Short stories (English translation)English-language selection of short stories translated by Tiina Nunnally and Steven T. Murray.
metamorphosisabsurdity
Translations
- English translation (Tiina Nunnally, Steven T. Murray)
Bibliography
- Strange Stories / Tiger in the Kitchen and Other Strange Stories
- Harmless Tales
- Tiger in the Kitchen and Other Strange Stories
- Poets and Demons: Interpretations and Assessments
- The Concept of Anxiety (ed.)
- Neither/Nor: Critical Considerations
- Nietzsche
- Tutelary Tales
- Kafka's Writings
- Schopenhauer
- Seneca: The Humanist at the Court of Nero
- Ragnarök, The Downfall of the Gods
- Another Metamorphosis & Other Fictions
- Free Will
- Jesus and Christ
- On One's Own Ways
- A Lonely Bird
Adaptations
- Work for the ballet 'En gudedrøm'
Translations by Author
- Edited works by H.C. Andersen
- Translations of Franz Kafka (e.g., 'Dreams')
- Translations/editions of Erasmus, Richard Wagner, etc.
Translations of Works
- Another Metamorphosis & Other Fictions (English translation, 1990)
- Tiger in the Kitchen and Other Strange Stories (English translation)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- modernist short fictionphilosophical essays and allegorical expressionconcise and suggestive prose
- Recurring Motifs
- absurditymetamorphosispower and the individualnightmarish, Kafkaesque situations
Legacy
Villy Sørensen is highly regarded as a Danish modernist short story writer and thinker. His portrayals of absurdity in short fiction, philosophical essays, and significant translations left a lasting influence domestically and internationally. He was an important member of the Danish Academy and received numerous literary awards.
Academic Societies
- Danish Academy
Archives
- Royal Danish Library (holds collections related to Villy Sørensen)
In Popular Culture
- His works are often described as 'Kafkaesque' and are frequently referenced in discussions of contemporary Danish literature.
Trivia
- Notable translator of over 20 books.
- Worked as editor of the journal Vindrosen starting in 1959.
- Elected a member of the Danish Academy in 1965.
- Recipient of several Nordic and international literary prizes.