Tom Kristensen (poet)

Tom Kristensen (August 4, 1893 in London–June 2, 1974, Thurø) was a Danish poet and novelist.

Life & work

He was born in London by Danish parents but grew up in Copenhagen and was educated at the University of Copenhagen. First of all Kristensen is one of the most colourful and artistic poets of his generation. His two collections of poems "Fribytterdrømme" (1920, "Freebooter Dreams") and "Mirakler" (1922, "Miracles") are classics of Danish expressionism, marked by urge to travel, zest, an artistic revolutionary enthusiasm and eternal restlessness. "Påfuglefjeren" (1922, "The Peacock Feather") which is inspired by a journey to China is deeper and more sombre, especially the poem "Henrettelsen" ("The Execution") that is depicting a man’s intense powers of observation just before he is beheaded. The contemporary novel "Livets Arabesk" (1921 – ”The Arabesque of Life”) is a revolutionary future fantasy in expressionist form.

In 1930 he wrote his perhaps most well known work the novel "Hærværk" (Engl. transl. "Havoc", 1968), the story of a Danish journalist, Ole Jastrau, doing his best to ruin his life and drink himself to death. Apart from its presumed autobiographic background it in many ways probably reflects the intellectual, political and personal crisis of many writers of the age between the World Wars. A poem from this novel, "Angst" ("Fear"), with its fascination from disaster has become a classic.

During the 1930’s the lyrics of Tom Kristensen more concentrated on occasional and commemorative poems of which he was a master – many are found in "Mod den yderste Rand" (1936, "Against the furthest Edge") og "Digte i Døgnet" (1940, "Poems a Day"). A final collection of poems "Den sidste Lygte" (1954, "The last Lamp") parades the themes of his writings.

Besides being a fictive writer Tom Kristensen was an outstanding critic and for thirty years he worked as a reviewer, mostly at the liberal-radical "Politiken". As a critic he was lauded for his ability of entering into the spirit of a work. He also wrote many collections of essays and travel books. Most famous is "En Kavaler i Spanien" (1927, "A Gentleman in Spain").

A Gentleman in Spain

"En kavaler i Spanien" ("A gentleman in Spain") is a travel account of one of Tom kristensens journeys. It is written in a expressionistic style and is thus a very subjective account. The book follows Tom Kristensen on his journey through Spain in the 1920s. He writes about the various sights, and about the interesting people that he meets on the trip. He also describes his impression of bullfighting. The book also contains many poems that is written on the journey. He meets with fellow-travelers, and a thief, all the while trying desperately to learn the Spanish language. In the end he longs for his home in Denmark, and the last sentence says "i have to flee"

Tom Kristensen is among the most important Danish lyrics and partly also prose writers of the first part of the 20th Century. His restless spirit, desperation, seeking for a fixed place and fascination of bullfighting has made comparisons to Hemingway in spite of many differences between the two men.

Works in English

*Tom Kristensen: "Havoc". Translated into English by the University of Wisconsin Press 1968. (Out of print.)
*Tom Kristensen: "The Land called Atlantis. A Symbol." Transl. by W. Glyn Jones (in: Danish literary Magazine. – no. 5 (1993). (English translation of a famous poem from 1920).

Works about the author

*Michael S. Byram: "Tom Kristensen". Boston 1982.

External links

* [http://confidentialattachees.wordpress.com/2007/01/26/a-literary-year-tom-kristensens-havoc/ Article about Havoc]