Oskar Braaten
Encyclopedia
Oskar Braaten was a Norwegian novelist and playwright
.
, a borough of the city of Oslo
. Sagene was one of Norway's oldest industrial areas dating to the mid-19th century. Oskar Braaten attended school in Sagene until he was 15 years old. In 1899, he was hired by antiquarian
bookstore Bertrand Jensen, where he remained until 1910.
Though born and raised in Oslo, Braaten joined the mostly rural landsmål
-movement.
Braaten is best-known for his popular plays and novels depicting the life of factory workers alongside Akerselva
in Oslo. He published seven novels between 1917 and 1925. Braaten convey a new image of the Oslo not seen before in literature. Braaten was able to provide vivid and richly nuanced images of working-class life on the east side of Oslo during a historical period of industrialization. Criticism of injustice and inequality arises, but there is relatively little political tendency in his literary works. .
He served as an advisor and theater manager at the Det Norske Teatret
in Oslo from its start in 1915 until his death. He was a consultant for the theater 1915-25, served as its theater director (Teatersjef) from 1934 to 1936 and dramatic performance manager from 1937 until his death. He was editor of For Bygd og By in 1912 and co-editor of the St. Hallvard from 1933. Braaten was the chairman of the Norwegian writer association (Den norske forfatterforening) at the end of 1921/22 and again 1933.
, a residential area in the Nordre Aker
borough of Oslo.
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...
.
Biography
Oskar Alexander Braaten was born in SageneSagene
Sagene is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway. The area became part of the city of Oslo in 1859.The name Sagene itself is the plural of the Norwegian word for "saw", reflecting all the old industrial mechanical saws powered by the river Akerselvain this area in the 19th and early 20th...
, a borough of the city of Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. Sagene was one of Norway's oldest industrial areas dating to the mid-19th century. Oskar Braaten attended school in Sagene until he was 15 years old. In 1899, he was hired by antiquarian
Antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
bookstore Bertrand Jensen, where he remained until 1910.
Though born and raised in Oslo, Braaten joined the mostly rural landsmål
Nynorsk
Nynorsk or New Norwegian is one of two official written standards for the Norwegian language, the other being Bokmål. The standard language was created by Ivar Aasen during the mid-19th century, to provide a Norwegian alternative to the Danish language which was commonly written in Norway at the...
-movement.
Braaten is best-known for his popular plays and novels depicting the life of factory workers alongside Akerselva
Akerselva
Akerselva, or Akerselven, is a river which flows through Oslo. It starts at Maridalsvannet in Oslomarka, and follows the urban areas Nordre Aker, Sagene, Grünerløkka, Oslo centre and Grønland, whereby it finally ends at Paulsenkaien and Oset in Bjørvika. The river is considered to be a part of the...
in Oslo. He published seven novels between 1917 and 1925. Braaten convey a new image of the Oslo not seen before in literature. Braaten was able to provide vivid and richly nuanced images of working-class life on the east side of Oslo during a historical period of industrialization. Criticism of injustice and inequality arises, but there is relatively little political tendency in his literary works. .
He served as an advisor and theater manager at the Det Norske Teatret
Det Norske Teatret
Det Norske Teatret is a theatre in Oslo. The theatre was founded in 1912, after an initiative from Hulda Garborg and Edvard Drabløs. It opened in 1913, touring with two plays, Ervingen by Ivar Aasen and Rationelt Fjøsstell by Hulda Garborg...
in Oslo from its start in 1915 until his death. He was a consultant for the theater 1915-25, served as its theater director (Teatersjef) from 1934 to 1936 and dramatic performance manager from 1937 until his death. He was editor of For Bygd og By in 1912 and co-editor of the St. Hallvard from 1933. Braaten was the chairman of the Norwegian writer association (Den norske forfatterforening) at the end of 1921/22 and again 1933.
Personal life
Oskar Braaten and Nanna Thorvaldsen were married in 1910. Oskar and Nanna had a son Bjorn in 1912, daughter Berit in 1918. In 1921, the family moved to Ullevål HagebyUllevål Hageby
Ullevål Hageby is a residential area and garden city in borough Nordre Aker of Oslo, Norway. All housing in the area is part of the housing cooperative Oslo Havebyselskap...
, a residential area in the Nordre Aker
Nordre Aker
Nordre Aker is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway.-History:This area became part of the city of Oslo in 1948. Before that it was a part of Aker municipality in Akershus county.-Demographics and housing:...
borough of Oslo.
Selected works
- Kring fabrikken (1910) (Around The Factory)
- Ungen (1911) (The Child)
- Bak høkerens disk (1918) (Behind The Shopkeepers Counter)
- Fabrikken (1918) (The Factory)
- Ulvehiet (1919) (The Wolf's Den)
- Den store barnedåpen (1925) (The Great Christening)
- Godvakker-Maren (1927) (Good Pretty Maren)