Claussen, Sophus

Claussen, Sophus

▪ Danish poet
born September 12, 1865, Helletoft, Island of Langeland, Denmark
died April 11, 1931, Gentofte

      one of Scandinavia's foremost lyric poets. He was influenced by the French Symbolists (Symbolist movement) and in turn greatly influenced Danish modernist poets of the 1940s and 1960s.

      Claussen's family was devoted to farming and politics, and he was intensely interested in the latter. After studying law at Copenhagen, he became a journalist for provincial newspapers, but spent much time in Paris and Italy as a freelance writer and painter.

      Claussen sought aesthetic perfection in his light, rhythmical poetry, and with his ingenious symbolism he constantly tried to transform his impressions of the erotic dimension in nature and human life into visionary, religious experiences. Poetry became his gospel. Finding a permanent conflict beween the spiritually erotic and the physically erotic, Claussen strove to unify earthly desire and religious sacrifice in a verbal totality. As reality and illusion come together in his work, the loss of verisimilitude is compensated for in the act of poetic creation, and a new kind of meaning is born that rests entirely within the poem itself. This religious expression, accompanied by a sense of the loss of beauty and the seeming meaninglessness of art in the face of the brutality and materialism of modern life, reached its highest expression in Claussen's last important collection, Heroica (1925). In defiance of his personal sense of isolation, the aging Claussen committed his artistic craft to an unqualified faith in a second coming of life.

      In spite of Claussen's close French literary connections, his humorous, romantic play with the myths of human existence in Naturbørn (1887; “Children of Nature”) and Pilefløjter (1899; “Willow Pipes”) remains in the Danish tradition. Claussen also published several travel books and lyrical prose tales of small-town life in Denmark. He translated some of his favourite poets, including Percy Bysshe Shelley (Shelley, Percy Bysshe), Heinrich Heine (Heine, Heinrich), and Charles Baudelaire (Baudelaire, Charles).

Poul Houe
 

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Claussen, Sophus — (1865 1931)    A Danish poet, Claussen was independently wealthy and was able to devote himself entirely to his artistic pursuits. He first studied law, then became a journalist for several provincial papers, and he spent time in France and Italy …   Historical Dictionary of Scandinavian Literature and Theater

  • Sophus Claussen — Sophus Claussen. Sophus Claussen (* 12. September 1865 in Helletofte; † 11. April 1931 in Gentofte) war ein dänischer Schriftsteller. In der dänischen Literatur der Neuromantik gehören seine Gedichte sowie seine Prosaarbeiten zu den Höhepunkten.… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Claussen — Claussen,   Sophus, dänischer Schriftsteller, * Helletofte (Langeland) 12. 9. 1865, ✝ Gentofte 11. 4. 1931; war v. a. Lyriker; vertrat gegen die realistische Literatur und eine materialistische Weltsicht unter dem Einfluss des französischen… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Claussen — bzw. Claußen ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Bernhard Claußen (* 1948), deutscher Politikwissenschaftler Bruno Claußen (* 1946), deutscher Politiker (CDU) Carl August Claussen (1881–1968), deutscher Konteradmiral Carsten Peter Claussen… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Sophus — ist ein Familienname. Träger des Namens sind: Felix Dahn (auch: Ludwig Sophus; 1834–1912), deutscher Professor für Rechtswissenschaften, Schriftsteller und Historiker Publius Sempronius Sophus, mehrere Mitglieder der römischen Adelsfamilie der… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Claussen — may refer to: People Brandon Claussen, a Major League Baseball pitcher Claus Frenz Claussen, German professor of otolaryngology, artist, and inventor Frank Claussen, guitarist Gro Pedersen Claussen, graphic designer Hermann Claussen, mountain… …   Wikipedia

  • Sophus Claussen — (September 12 1865 Helletofte April 11 1931 Gentofte) was a Danish writer. He is best remembered for his neo romanticism poems.Works* Naturbørn 1887 * Pilefløjter 1899 * Ungt Folk 1894 * Djævlerier 1904 * Danske Vers 1912 * Heroica 1925 …   Wikipedia

  • Claußen — Claussen bzw. Claußen ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Bernhard Claußen (* 1948), deutscher Politikwissenschaftler Bruno Claußen (* 1946), deutscher Politiker (CDU) Claus Frenz Claussen (* 1939), deutscher Mediziner, Hochschullehrer,… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Liste der Biografien/Cl — Biografien: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Dänische Schriftsteller — A Christen Aagaard (1616–1664) Niels Aagaard (1612–1657) Kim Fupz Aakeson (* 1958) Jeppe Aakjær (1866–1930) Emil Aarestrup (1800–1856) Peter Adolphsen (* 1972) Naja Marie Aidt (* 1963) Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875) Vita Andersen (* 1944)… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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