Hjalmar Söderberg

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Hjalmar Emil Fredrik Söderberg (July 2, 1869 - October 14, 1941) was a Swedish novelist, playwright, poet and journalist. His work often encircle melancholy and lovelorn characters, and inject a rich portrayal of contemporary Stockholm through the eyes of the flaneur. Söderberg is greatly appreciated in his native country, and is sometimes considered to be the equal of August Strindberg, Sweden's national bard.

Born in Stockholm, Söderberg began his literary course at the Swedish news daily Svenska Dagbladet, age 20. Six years later his first novel was released, Förvillelser (Delusions, 1895), written from the viewpoint of a young dandy aimlessly idling in the capital, recklessly squandering money and love. The somber yet reflective and insightful story would prove symptomatic for much of Söderbergs output. Subsequent to the release of Historietter (Anecdotes, 1898), a collection of twenty short stories, his next major work - Martin Bircks Ungdom (Martin Birck's Youth, 1901) - was released. Much alike Förvillelser in terms of its vivid environmental depiction and acute perception, it follows the circumstances of a young amateur poet. Söderbergs next novel, by some considered his masterpiece, was Doktor Glas (Doctor Glas, 1905). In a frightful tale of vengeance and passion, Söderberg stays true to his dissociating yet emotionally poignant writing style.

In his later years, Söderberg turned to journalism and theological studies. He was a fierce critic of nazism, and wrote amply in the revered resistance paper Göteborgs Handels- och Sjöfartstidning on the subject. He died in Denmark and is buried on Vestre Kirkegård in Copenhagen.

Söderberg was married to Märta Abenius (b.1881, d. 1932) between the years 1899-1917. They had three children: actress Dora Söderberg-Carlstén (b. 1899), Tom Söderberg (b. 1900) and Mikael Söderberg (b. 1903). From 1917 he was married to Emelie Voss.

Söderberg had for a number of years a stormy on/off relationship with Maria von Platen (b.1871, d.1959), a relationship which is said to have influenced him in his writing, especially his 1906 play Gertrud, and for the character of Lydia in A Serious Game.

A recent new translation of Doktor Glas into English, as Doctor Glas, and with an introduction by Margaret Atwood, has meant a soar in his popularity in the Anglo-Saxon literary world.

[edit] List of works

• Förvillelser (1895) - "Delusions"
• Oscar Levertin (1895)
• Historietter (1898) - "Anecdotes"
• Martin Bircks ungdom (1901) - "Martin Birck's Youth"
• Främlingarne (1903) - "The Strangers"
• Doktor Glas (1905)
• Gertrud (1906) (play in three acts)
• Det mörknar över vägen (1907) - "It Is Darkening Over The Road"
• Valda sidor (1908) - "Taken Sides"
• Hjärtats oro (1909) - "Worry of the Heart"
• Den allvarsamma leken (1912) - "The Serious Game"
• Aftonstjärnan (1912) - "The Evening Star" (play in one act)
• Den talangfulla draken (1913) - "The Talented Dragon"
• Jahves eld (1918) - "The Fire of Jahves"
• Ödestimmen (1922) - "The Hour of Destiny" (play in three acts)
• Jesus Barabbas. Ur löjtnant Jägerstams memoarer (1928)
• Resan till Rom (1929) - "Trip to Rome"
• Den förvandlade Messias (1932) - "The Changed/Transformed Messiah"

[edit] Works in English

• Martin Birck's Youth (1930) - trans. by Charles Wharton Stork.
• Selected Short Stories (1935) - trans. by Charles Wharton Stork.
• Doctor Glas (1963) - trans. by Paul Britten Austin.
• Short Stories (1987) - trans. by Carl Lofmark.
• The Serious Game (2001) - trans. by Eva Claeson.
• Martin Birck's Youth (2004) - trans. by Tom Ellett.

[edit] Quotes

• "I believe in the lust of the flesh and the incurable desolation of the soul." (From Gertrud)

• "One wants to be loved, in lack thereof admired, in lack thereof feared, in lack thereof loathed and despised. One wants to instill some sort of emotion in people. The soul trembles before emptiness and desires contact at any price." (From Doctor Glas)