Olav Nygard

Olav Nygard (July 10, 1884, Modalen – February 11, 1924) was a Norwegian poet from Modalen in Hordaland. Nygard is now considered one of the most important Norwegian authors of his time, but was, however, not especially acknowledged while alive.

Nygard was born in an isolated farm in the rural district of Modalen, Norway, being the second youngest of altogether ten siblings. He started writing relatively early, mainly poems, and was soon determined to become a full-time writer. His childhood, however, was not easy, losing his mother at the age of ten, and having to work at his father's farm after finishing elementary school. He was a very gifted wood carver, creating, among other things, his own fiddle, which he would use playing at local dancing arrangements. He had a special interest in the local dialect, collecting tales and words told by his father. Finally, during his 1904-1905 stay at Møre Folkehøgskule in Ørsta, Nygard came in touch with a more academic group of people. He met Petra Krøvel, his first wife, who died of tuberculosis shortly afterwards. From 1909-1910 he lived in Oslo, partially at Labråten, the Asker residence of Arne Garborg. The advice and support of him and his wife Hulda Garborg were of great importance for Nygard, even later on in life. Nygard made his living in several different professions, but mostly as a self-dependent farmer. In 1912 he married Rakel Tvedt, with whom he had a son in 1916. The little family had money problems almost constantly, making Nygard's artistic work difficult. As his first wife, Nygard suffered from tubercolosis. He seemed for a while to be recovering, but eventually died in 1924.

Nygard almost exclusively wrote poetry. He was not notably influenced by other Norwegian authors at his time, wrtiting in a fashion quite different from the trend. Henrik Wergeland, though, was a major source of inspiration. So was also British authors like William Shakespeare and John Keats, not to mention Robert Burns, of whom Nygard translated several poems.

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