Einar Hjörleifsson Kvaran
Encyclopedia
Einar Hjörleifsson Kvaran (December 6, 1859 in Vellanes, Iceland
as Einar Hjörleifsson – May 21, 1938 in Reykjavík
) was an Iceland
ic editor
, novelist, poet
, playwright
and prominent spiritualist.
Einar Kvaran was the son of Rev. Hjörleifur Einarsson and Guðlaug Eyjólfsdóttir. His name was originally Einar Hjörleifsson but he (along with his brothers and nephews) adopted the family name
Kvaran in 1916. (The name is taken from Laxdæla saga. In 1913, the Althing
passed a law, since rescinded, which permitted Icelanders to adopt family name
s. Einar Hjörleifsson was on a committee that proposed to allow certain categories of names, including those with ancient origins.)
Einar graduated in 1881 from the College of Iceland, known as the Latin School. As a student in economics
at the University of Copenhagen
in 1882, he was one of four students to publish the single issue of the literary periodical Verðandi, which introduced to Iceland the Modern Breakthrough
expounded by Georg Brandes
. Einar was one of the pioneers of realism in Icelandic writing; his stories and novels represent a break with past admiration of the sagas: they are written in educated contemporary language and deal with ordinary people and problems.
From 1885 to 1895 Einar emigrated to Icelandic Canada
, where he lived in Winnipeg
and helped found two Icelandic-language weekly publications, Heimskringla ("Globe") and Lögberg ("Tribune"). On his return to Iceland he was a journalist and editor in both Reykjavík and Akureyri
; he participated in the struggle for independence and also wrote about education, temperance and theatre. He was co-editor of Ísafold, then Iceland's leading newspaper, and editor of Fjallkonan. He edited Skírnir, the journal of the Icelandic Literary Society
, from 1892 to 1895 and from 1908 to 1909.
Einar wrote numerous short stories, novels, plays, and a volume of early poems. His breakthrough work was the story "Vonir" ("Hopes"), which he wrote in 1890 while in Canada and which deals with the emigrant experience. In 1906 the Government of Iceland granted him a stipend to enable him to devote himself entirely to writing.
Einar was also a prominent Spiritualist, author of the first positive assessment of spiritualism in Icelandic and co-founder and President of the Experimental Society which gave rise to the Icelandic Society for Psychical Research (Sálarrannsóknarfélag Íslands), of which he was the first president. He played a major part in the investigation and publicising of many Icelandic medium
s, notably Indriði Indriðason
and Hafstein Björnsson. His later writings were dominated by spiritualism, particularly the novel Sögur Rannveigar ("Rannveig's Tales", parts I and II 1919 and 1922), but also by Christian humanism. He influenced Icelanders to be less rigidly orthodox and to be less harsh in rearing their children.
In the 1920s, there was a rumour that Kvaran was considered for the Nobel Prize
in Literature, but in response Sigurður Nordal
disparaged him as overly focused on forgiveness and thus tolerant of things that should rather be opposed; in the spirit of Icelandic nationalism and contemporary interpretations of Nietzsche, he considered the blood feud a better ethical model. In the 1930s Halldór Laxness
criticised him more sharply yet for his spiritualism.
when he was 15.
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
as Einar Hjörleifsson – May 21, 1938 in Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
) was an Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic editor
Editor
The term editor may refer to:As a person who does editing:* Editor in chief, having final responsibility for a publication's operations and policies* Copy editing, making formatting changes and other improvements to text...
, novelist, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
and prominent spiritualist.
Einar Kvaran was the son of Rev. Hjörleifur Einarsson and Guðlaug Eyjólfsdóttir. His name was originally Einar Hjörleifsson but he (along with his brothers and nephews) adopted the family name
Icelandic name
Icelandic names differ from most current Western family name systems by being patronymic in that they reflect the immediate father of the child and not the historic family lineage....
Kvaran in 1916. (The name is taken from Laxdæla saga. In 1913, the Althing
Althing
The Alþingi, anglicised variously as Althing or Althingi, is the national parliament of Iceland. The Althingi is the oldest parliamentary institution in the world still extant...
passed a law, since rescinded, which permitted Icelanders to adopt family name
Family name
A family name is a type of surname and part of a person's name indicating the family to which the person belongs. The use of family names is widespread in cultures around the world...
s. Einar Hjörleifsson was on a committee that proposed to allow certain categories of names, including those with ancient origins.)
Einar graduated in 1881 from the College of Iceland, known as the Latin School. As a student in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
at the University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
in 1882, he was one of four students to publish the single issue of the literary periodical Verðandi, which introduced to Iceland the Modern Breakthrough
Modern Breakthrough
The Modern Breakthrough is the normal name of the strong movement of naturalism and debating literature of Scandinavia near the end of the 19th century which replaced romanticism....
expounded by Georg Brandes
Georg Brandes
Georg Morris Cohen Brandes was a Danish critic and scholar who had great influence on Scandinavian and European literature from the 1870s through the turn of the 20th century. He is seen as the theorist behind the "Modern Breakthrough" of Scandinavian culture...
. Einar was one of the pioneers of realism in Icelandic writing; his stories and novels represent a break with past admiration of the sagas: they are written in educated contemporary language and deal with ordinary people and problems.
From 1885 to 1895 Einar emigrated to Icelandic Canada
New Iceland
New Iceland is the name of a region on Lake Winnipeg in the Canadian province Manitoba which was named for settlers from Iceland. It was settled in 1875.- Background :...
, where he lived in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
and helped found two Icelandic-language weekly publications, Heimskringla ("Globe") and Lögberg ("Tribune"). On his return to Iceland he was a journalist and editor in both Reykjavík and Akureyri
Akureyri
Akureyri is a town in northern Iceland. It is Iceland's second largest urban area and fourth largest municipality ....
; he participated in the struggle for independence and also wrote about education, temperance and theatre. He was co-editor of Ísafold, then Iceland's leading newspaper, and editor of Fjallkonan. He edited Skírnir, the journal of the Icelandic Literary Society
Icelandic Literary Society
The Icelandic Literary Society , founded in 1816, is a society dedicated to promoting and strengthening Icelandic language, literature and learning....
, from 1892 to 1895 and from 1908 to 1909.
Einar wrote numerous short stories, novels, plays, and a volume of early poems. His breakthrough work was the story "Vonir" ("Hopes"), which he wrote in 1890 while in Canada and which deals with the emigrant experience. In 1906 the Government of Iceland granted him a stipend to enable him to devote himself entirely to writing.
Einar was also a prominent Spiritualist, author of the first positive assessment of spiritualism in Icelandic and co-founder and President of the Experimental Society which gave rise to the Icelandic Society for Psychical Research (Sálarrannsóknarfélag Íslands), of which he was the first president. He played a major part in the investigation and publicising of many Icelandic medium
Mediumship
Mediumship is described as a form of communication with spirits. It is a practice in religious beliefs such as Spiritualism, Spiritism, Espiritismo, Candomblé, Voodoo and Umbanda.- Concept :...
s, notably Indriði Indriðason
Indriði Indriðason
Indriði Indriðason was an Icelandic medium and Iceland's only physical medium. He was the first medium reported in Iceland and his discovery was a major impetus to the establishment of Spiritualism there.-Life:...
and Hafstein Björnsson. His later writings were dominated by spiritualism, particularly the novel Sögur Rannveigar ("Rannveig's Tales", parts I and II 1919 and 1922), but also by Christian humanism. He influenced Icelanders to be less rigidly orthodox and to be less harsh in rearing their children.
In the 1920s, there was a rumour that Kvaran was considered for the Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
in Literature, but in response Sigurður Nordal
Sigurður Nordal
Sigurður Nordal was an Icelandic scholar, writer and ambassador. He was influential in forming the theory of the Icelandic sagas as works of literature composed by individual authors....
disparaged him as overly focused on forgiveness and thus tolerant of things that should rather be opposed; in the spirit of Icelandic nationalism and contemporary interpretations of Nietzsche, he considered the blood feud a better ethical model. In the 1930s Halldór Laxness
Halldór Laxness
Halldór Kiljan Laxness was a twentieth-century Icelandic writer. Throughout his career Laxness wrote poetry, newspaper articles, plays, travelogues, short stories, and novels...
criticised him more sharply yet for his spiritualism.
Personal life
Einar was married twice. His first wife, Mathilde Petersen, was Danish; she died in Canada, and their two children both died in infancy. In 1888 he married Gíslína Gísladóttir. They had five children; the eldest, Sigurður, died of tuberculosisTuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
when he was 15.
Sources
- Richard Beck. Einar H. Kvaran, an Icelandic Novelist and Dramatist. OCLC 83281608
- Gils Guðmundsson. Í Nærveru Sálar: Einar Hjörleifsson Kvaran, Maðurinn og Skáldið. Reykjavík : Setberg, 1997. ISBN 997952202X