Bernhard Severin Ingemann

Bernhard Severin Ingemann

Bernhard Severin Ingemann was a Danish novelist and poet. Ingemann was born in Torkilstrup, on the island of Falster, Denmark. The son of a vicar, he was left fatherless in his youth. While a student at the University of Copenhagen he published his first collection of poems, which show great influence of German romanticism. Critics describe their sickly sentimentality as reflecting the unhealthy condition of the poet's body and mind at this time. These works were followed by a long allegorical poem, De sorte Riddere, which closed his first period. Then followed six plays, of which the best is considered to be Reinald Underbarnet, and the most popular, Blanca,. In 1817 he published his first prose work, De Underjordiske, et bornholmsk Eventyr, which was followed in 1820 by Eventyr og Fortœllinger, many of them imitations of Hoffmann. During 1818-19 he traveled on the Continent, and in 1822 was appointed instructor of the Danish Language and Literature at the Academy of Sorø. During his next period, inspired by Scott's Waverley novels, Ingemann produced his series of historical romances, by virtue of which he disputes with H. C. Andersen the title of the children's writer of Denmark. Their subjects are all taken from Danish history. The first, and perhaps the best, is Valdemar Sejr, which was followed by Erik Menveds Barndom; Kong Erik og de Fredløse; and Prins Otto af Danmark og Hans Samtid.

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