The Fall of the King – know your classic
Know your classic “The Fall of the King” by Johannes V. Jensen.
In 1901 the last part of was published. The Fall of the King, and the novel celebrates its 125th anniversary this year. Johannes V. Jensen's great historical work was met with harsh criticism from contemporary reviewers upon its publication, and nothing indicated at the time that almost a hundred years later it would be named the "novel of the century" and occupy a central place in Danish literary history.
The novel follows Mikkel Thøgersen, whose life mirrors the rise and fall of King Christian II – and has the Stockholm Massacre as its dramatic focal point. According to today's classics expert, Anders TK Ølholm, however, one should not read the novel for the plot. The Fall of the King is spectacular precisely because it does not have one fixed form, but moves between poetic, almost visionary passages and sections that have the character of a pure thriller. The story is presented as little gems on
a string. Scattered and seemingly detached glimpses that together form a complex and deeply human
portrait.
The novel is also Johannes V. Jensen's great portrayal of the Danish national soul: the great dreamer and fantasist, but also plagued by fickleness and longing, all embodied in Mikkel Thøgersen.
Anders will give an introduction to this rich and multifaceted work and to the author behind it. He will also point out why The Fall of the King still manages to challenge and captivate its readers – 125 years after its publication.
The event takes place here:
Sonderborg Library
Level 2, Insight, Nørre Havnegade 15, 6400, Sonderborg
