Alexander Lange Kielland (Norwegian: [ɑɫɛˈksɑ̀ndər ˈlɑ̂ŋːə ˈçɛ̂lːɑn]; 18 February 1849 – 6 April 1906) was a Norwegian realist writer of the 19th century. He is considered one of "the Four Greats" of Norwegian literature, along with Henrik Ibsen, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson and Jonas Lie.
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Background
Born in Stavanger, Norway, he grew up in a rich merchant family. He was the son of consul Jens Zetlitz Kielland and great-grandson of Gabriel Schanche Kielland (1760–1821). Kielland was the younger brother of Norwegian landscape painter Kitty Lange Kielland.
His family also included his son, Jens Zetlitz Kielland, (1873–1926); uncle Jacob Otto Lange (1833–1902), cousin Axel Christian Zetlitz Kielland (1853–1924), nephew Jens Zetlitz Monrad Kielland (1866–1926), cousin Anders Lange (1904–1974) and great nephew Jacob Christie Kielland (1897–1972). His great niece Axeliane Christiane Zetlitz Kielland (1916–1995) married Agnar Mykle (1915–1994).
Career
Despite being born wealthy, he had a sincere affection for the less fortunate, treating his workers well when he was a factory owner. He remained a spokesman for the weak and a critic of society throughout his time as a writer. His best known plays were the satirical comedies Tre Par (1886) and Professoren (1888). He was also well known for his short stories.
Among his most famous works are the novels Gift (1883), Skipper Worse (1882) and Garman & Worse (1880). Gift (published in English as Poison) is the first of a trilogy including Fortuna (1884) and St. Hans Fest (1887). In this trilogy, Kielland satirizes the hypocrisy of Norway's clergy. In Gift, Kielland debates the preference for Latin that Norwegian teachers had during his time. The story features a young boy called Marius, lying on his deathbed while repeating Latin grammar.
From 1889 to 1890, Kielland worked as a journalist for the newspaper Stavanger Avis. Kielland virtually stopped writing fiction in 1891 and published only stories which had been published earlier. In 1891 he was designated the mayor of Stavanger Municipality (his hometown), until 1902 when he relocated to Molde as governor of the Møre og Romsdal county.
It has been debated why Kielland ended his career as a writer so early. Some believe that he was so much of a realist that he could not deal with the neo-romantic tendencies of Norwegian literature at the end of the 19th century. A more probable reason is that he chose to focus on his political career.
The biography of Alexander L. Kielland by Tor Obrestad includes thoughts about Kielland dying from obesity. Already from the mid-1880s, Kielland had suffered from shortness of breath. He had several heart attacks, constantly gained weight, and couldn't control his great passion for food.
Publications
Short stories
Novelletter, 1879
Nye novelletter, 1880
To Novelletter fra Danmark, 1882
A Dinner, 1896 (as a part of Norse Tales and Sketches)
Novels
Garman & Worse, 1880
Arbeidsfolk, 1881
Else, 1881
Skipper Worse, 1882.
Gift, 1883
Fortuna, 1884
Sne, 1886
Sankt Hans Fest, 1887
Jacob, 1891
Plays
Paa Hjemvejen, 1878
Hans Majestæts Foged, 1880
Det hele er Ingenting, 1880
Tre par, 1886
Bettys Formynder, 1887
Professoren, 1888
Essays
Forsvarssagen, 1890
Menneker og Dyr, 1891
Omkring Napoleon, 1905