Fritofs Saga | Page 3

over his dear classic authors but for the fortunate intervention of the young members of the Myhrman family, seven in all, who frequently would storm into his room and carry him off by sheer force to their boisterous frolics. To one of these playmates, Anna Myhrman, the youngest daughter of the family, he soon became attached by the tender ties of love.
In 1799 Tegnér was enabled, through the generosity of Branting and Myhrman, to repair to Lund and enter the university of that place. Here he made a brilliant record as a student, particularly in the classics, and after three years he was awarded the master's degree. In recognition of his remarkable scholarship he was soon after made instructor in aesthetics, secretary to the faculty of philosophy and assistant librarian. In 1806 he claimed Anna Myhrman as his bride.
We have the testimony of Tegnér himself that already as a child he began to write poetry, in fact these efforts began so early in his life that he could not remember when he for the first time exercised the power that later was to win him an abiding fame. As early as his clerkship days in the office of Branting he wrote a poem in Alexandrine verse with the subject taken from the Old Norse sagas. His numerous productions before 1808 attracted little attention and failed to get any prize for the young author. But in the above mentioned year he sprang into immediate popularity by the stirring "War Song of the Scanian Reserves" (Krigss?ng f?r sk?nska lantv?rnet), the Marseillaise of the Swedish nation. Sweden had just suffered great reverses in war, her very existence as an independent power seemed to hang in the balance, and confusion and discouragement were evident on every hand. Then came Tegnér's patriotic bugle blast, stirring the nation to renewed hope and courage. Speaking of this poem Professor Boyesen says: "As long as we have wars we must have martial bards and with the exception of the German Theodore K?rner I know none who can bear comparison with Tegnér. English literature can certainly boast no war poem which would not be drowned in the mighty music of Tegnér's 'Svea', 'The Scanian Reserves', and that magnificent dithyrambic declamation, 'King Charles, the Young Hero'. Tennyson's 'Charge of the Light Brigade' is technically a finer poem than anything Tegnér has written, but it lacks the deep, virile bass, the tremendous volume of breath and voice, and the captivating martial lilt which makes the heart beat willy nilly to the rhythm of the verse" (Essays on Scandinavian Literature, 233).
The ability evinced by Tegnér as an instructor, but principally the enthusiasm aroused by his "Song to the Scanian Reserves", gave him in 1810 a call to the Greek professorship at Lund. He did not, however, enter into this position until 1812.
In the meantime Tegnér had given to his native land the solemn didactic poem "Svea". In stately Alexandrine verse he scathingly rebukes his countrymen for their foolish aping after foreign manners and depending on foreign goods to satisfy their desires. The people, says the poet, can become strong again only by a return to the simple life and homely virtues of the great past. Not on the arena of war but through faithful endeavor in industry, science and art may the Swedish people restore to their fatherland its former power and glory. As though transported by this noble thought into a state of ecstasy, the bard then, in the concluding portion of the poem, pictures in magnificent dithyrambic song the titanic struggle that ensues and enthrones Peace as the beneficent ruler of the land. "Svea" won the prize of the Swedish Academy and firmly established Tegnér in the affection of his countrymen.
The most productive and brilliant period of Tegnér's literary activity is contemporaneous with his incumbency of the Greek professorship at Lund (1812-1824). In this period he enriches Swedish literature with a series of lyrics which still rank among the best both in point of lucidity of thought and brilliance of diction. Only a few that stand out most prominently in a list of about one hundred poems from this period can receive mention here.
The intolerance and bitterness of the reaction that followed close upon the downfall of Napoleon and found its cruel instrument of oppression in the Holy Alliance aroused the bitter opposition of Tegnér. His vision was not obscured, a fate that befell so many in that day, but he saw clearly the nobility and necessity of tolerance, freedom and democracy. It is to the great glory of Tegnér that he consistently used his brilliant powers in battling against the advancing forces of obscurantism and tyranny. His enlightened and humanitarian ideas find a beautiful utterance in the poem "Tolerance" (F?rdragsamhet) which dates from 1808, but later was rewritten and