''Wakefulness'' () is a 2007 novella by Norwegian writer

Jon Fosse Jon Olav Fosse (born 29 September 1959) is a Norwegian author and dramatist. Biography Jon Fosse was born in Haugesund, Norway. A serious accident at age seven brought him close to death; the experience significantly influenced his adulthood wr ...

. The story is set a few hundred years ago. The young couple, "Asle" and "Alida", has come to the city of

Bjørgvin Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula of ...

, looking for a place to stay. She is expecting a child in a couple of days. Alida is an outcast, her own mother will not recognize her, and Asle is orphaned. Now they only have each other. A parallel can be drawn to the fate of

Joseph Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the mo ...

and

Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...

in the Gospels.

Awards

In 2015, Fosse was awarded the

Nordic Council's Literature Prize The Nordic Council Literature Prize is awarded for a work of literature written in one of the languages of the Nordic countries, that meets "high literary and artistic standards". Established in 1962, the prize is awarded every year, and is worth ...

for the trilogy ''Wakefulness'', ''

Olav's Dreams ''Olav's Dreams'' () is a 2012 novel by Norwegian writer Jon Fosse. The story is set a few hundred years ago. The fiddler "Olav" is hunted by his past as a killer. Leaving the city and changing his name has not helped much. Awards In 2015, Fosse ...

'' and ''

Weariness Fatigue describes a state of tiredness that does not resolve with rest or sleep. In general usage, fatigue is synonymous with extreme tiredness or exhaustion that normally follows prolonged physical or mental activity. When it does not resolve ...

''.

References

External links

American publicity page
2007 novels 21st-century Norwegian novels Norwegian-language novels Nordic Council's Literature Prize-winning works Novels by Jon Fosse {{2000s-hist-novel-stub