Villy Sørensen (13 January 1929 – 11 September 2001) was a Danish

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction. It can typically be read in a single sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the old ...

writer,

philosopher Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...

and

literary critic A genre of arts criticism, literary criticism or literary studies is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often influenced by literary theory, which is the philosophical analysis of literature' ...

of the

Modernist Modernism was an early 20th-century movement in literature, visual arts, and music that emphasized experimentation, abstraction, and Subjectivity and objectivity (philosophy), subjective experience. Philosophy, politics, architecture, and soc ...

tradition. His fiction was heavily influenced by his

philosophical Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...

ideas, and he has been compared to

Franz Kafka Franz Kafka (3 July 1883 – 3 June 1924) was a novelist and writer from Prague who was Jewish, Austrian, and Czech and wrote in German. He is widely regarded as a major figure of 20th-century literature. His work fuses elements of Litera ...

in this regard.

History

Born in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

, Sørensen graduated from the Vestre Borgerdydskole in 1947, and then attended the

University of Copenhagen The University of Copenhagen (, KU) is a public university, public research university in Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1479, the University of Copenhagen is the second-oldest university in Scandinavia, after Uppsala University. ...

and the

University of Freiburg The University of Freiburg (colloquially ), officially the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg (), is a public university, public research university located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The university was founded in 1 ...

studying philosophy. Although he did not graduate, he later received an

honorary degree An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or '' ad hon ...

from the University of Copenhagen. Sørensen published his first collection of

short stories A short story is a piece of prose fiction. It can typically be read in a single sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the old ...

, ''Strange Stories'' in 1953, which many critics have identified as being the start of Danish literary Modernism. He published additional collections of short stories in 1955 and 1964, all winning various awards in Denmark. These stories generally explored the absurd and hidden parts of the human psyche. Sørensen began editing the journal ''

Vindrosen ''Vindrosen'' () was a Danish modernist cultural and literary magazine existed between 1954 and 1974. It was one of the Danish publications which improved the cultural journalism in the country. History and profile ''Vindrosen'' was established ...

'' (with

Klaus Rifbjerg Klaus Rifbjerg (15 December 1931 – 4 April 2015) was a Danish writer. He authored more than 170 novels, books and essays. In 1965 he co-produced the film '' 4x4'' which was entered into the 4th Moscow International Film Festival. Biography R ...

) in 1959. Afterward, he became a member of the Danish Academy in 1965, subsequently editing several other Modernist journals and periodicals. Sørensen, though he continued to produce short fiction throughout his life, was also deeply engaged in philosophy, about which he wrote many essays and several books including ''Seneca: The Humanist at the Court of Nero'' and his response to

Søren Kierkegaard Søren Aabye Kierkegaard ( , ; ; 5 May 1813 – 11 November 1855) was a Danes, Danish theologian, philosopher, poet, social critic, and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher. He wrote critical tex ...

's ''Either/Or'', ''Hverken-eller'' (i.e. "Neither/Nor"). He also published books and essays about

Nietzsche Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (15 October 1844 – 25 August 1900) was a German philosopher. He began his career as a classical philologist, turning to philosophy early in his academic career. In 1869, aged 24, Nietzsche became the youngest pro ...

Kafka Franz Kafka (3 July 1883 – 3 June 1924) was a novelist and writer from Prague who was Jewish, Austrian, and Czech and wrote in German. He is widely regarded as a major figure of 20th-century literature. His work fuses elements of real ...

Marx Karl Marx (; 5 May 1818 – 14 March 1883) was a German philosopher, political theorist, economist, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. He is best-known for the 1848 pamphlet '' The Communist Manifesto'' (written with Friedrich Engels) ...

Schopenhauer Arthur Schopenhauer ( ; ; 22 February 1788 – 21 September 1860) was a German philosopher. He is known for his 1818 work '' The World as Will and Representation'' (expanded in 1844), which characterizes the phenomenal world as the manife ...

and Kierkegaard, and was a notable translator of over 20 books. He was awarded the

Grand Prize of the Danish Academy The Grand Prize of the Danish Academy, founded in 1961, is the most notable of Denmark's literature prizes and awards. It is awarded by the Danish Academy. Until 1982, it was handed yearly, but since then it has been given every second year. The fir ...

in 1962,

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 ...

in 1974, the

Hans Christian Andersen Award The Hans Christian Andersen Awards are two literary awards given by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), recognising one living author and one living illustrator for their "lasting contribution to children's literature". Th ...

in 1983, the inaugural

Swedish Academy Nordic Prize The Nordic Prize (''Swedish'': nordiska pris) is a literary award presented annually by the Swedish Academy. The recipient is someone from the Nordic countries who has done significant work in any of the Academy's areas of operations or interests. ...

in 1986, along with many other awards and recognitions. He died in

in 2001.

Bibliography

* Sære historier, 1953 - Strange Stories / Tiger in the Kitchen and Other Strange Stories * Ufarlige historier, 1955 - Harmless Tales * Tiger in the Kitchen and Other Strange Stories, 1957 * Digtere og dæmoner: Fortolkninger og vurderinger, 1959 * ed.: Begrebet Angest by Søren Kierkegaard, 1960 * Hverken-eller: Kritiske betragtningen, 1961 * ed.: Økonomi og filosofi by Karl Marx, 1962 * Nietzsche, 1963 * Formynderfortællinger, 1964 - Tutelary Tales * ed.: Haabløse Slægter by Herman Bang, 1965 * ed.: Eventyr og historier by H.C. Andersen, 1965 * ed.: Skuespil by William Shakespeare, 1966 * Kafkas digtning, 1968 * Schopenhauer, 1969 * Mellem fortid og fremtid, 1969 * Midler uden mål. 1971 * Uden mål - og med, moralske tanker, 1973 * Seneca, 1976 - Seneca: The Humanist at the Court of Nero * translator: The Book by Martin A. Hansen, 1978 (with Anne Born) * Oprør fra midten, 1978 (with Niels I Meyer and K. Helweg-Pedersen) - Revolt from the Center * Den gyldne middelvej, og andre debatindlæg i 1970erne, 1979 * Vejrdage, betragtninger 1980 * translator: The Dream of the Woman by Knud Hjortø, 1980 (with Anne Born) * Alladin, 1981 (with Errol le Cain) * Ragnarok, en gudefortælling, 1982 - The Downfall of the Gods - Ragnarök, jumalten tuho * Røret om oprøret, 1982 (with Niels I Meyer and K. Helweg-Pedersen) * translator: The Mountains by H.C. Branner (with Anne Born) * ed.: Kunsten og revolutionen by Richard Wagner, 1983 * En gudedrøm, ballet for Nyt Danske Danseteater, 1984 * translation: Skøn er krigen for den uerfarne (Dulce bellum inexpertis) by Erasmus Roterodamus, 1984 * De mange og De enkelte og andre småhistorier, 1986 * ed.: Tine by Herman Bang, 1986 * ed.: Tunge Melodier by Herman Bang, 1987 * ed.: Enten-Eller by Søren Kierkegaard, 1988 * Demokratiet og kunsten, 1988 * Tilløb: dagbog 1949-53, 1988 * Den berømte Odysseus, 1988 (with Andy Li Jørgensen) * Apollons oprør: de udødeliges historie, 1989 * Another Metamorphosis & Other Fictions, 1990, translated by

Tiina Nunnally Tiina Nunnally (born August 7, 1952) is an American author and translator of Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish literature. She also writes her own novels and young adult books. Early life and education Nunnally was born in Chicago, Illinois, and g ...

& Steven T. Murray * Forløb: dagbog 1953-61, 1990 * ed.: Demokratiske visioner by Walt Whitman, 1991 * Den frie vilje, 1992 * Jesus og Kristus, 1992 * Perioder: dagbog 1961-74, 1993 * Historien om Ødipus, 1995 (with Roald Als) * translation: Grimms eventyr, 1995 * Blot en drengestreg, 1996 (with Pernille Kløvedal Helweg) * translation: Drømme by Franz Kafka, 1998 * Jesus og Kristus, 1999 * På egne veje, 2000 * En ensom fugl, 2000

Sources

*
"Sorensen, Villy."

Encyclopædia Britannica The is a general knowledge, general-knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It has been published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. since 1768, although the company has changed ownership seven times. The 2010 version of the 15th edition, ...

Online. Retrieved 31 October 2006. {{DEFAULTSORT:Sorensen, Villy 1929 births 2001 deaths Danish literary critics Danish male short story writers Nordic Council Literature Prize winners Writers from Copenhagen Recipients of the Grand Prize of the Danish Academy 20th-century Danish writers 20th-century Danish short story writers 20th-century Danish essayists 20th-century Danish male writers