2. Cuttings
box 38/4
SIGRID UNDSET
Sigrid Undset is a much-loved figurc in
Norwav, just beginning to be properly
appreciated in this country. She is the
latest winner of the Nobel Prize for
Litcrature, which was undoubtedly
awarded to her for her ever-memorable
trilogy, Kri#i Luwanddarter. Those who
have rend this tale of mediacval Norway
may be surpriscd to learn that for the
hrst ten years of her carcer, she was
inclined to the modern rcalistic novel.
The daughter of onc of Norway’s lead¬
ingarchacologists, however, her passion
for tlic past finally asserted itself, and
her rcalistic historical novels resurrect
those far-off mediacval days with an
astonishing sensc of verity. She livcs in
an old medi#eval house, built a thou¬
sand years ago—and frequently dresscs
in the mediacval costume becausc she
fecls spiritually morc at home in it.
ARTHUR SCHNITZLER
It is customary to characterize Dr.
Schnitzler as the quintessence of Vienna.
His work suggests not only the diseh¬
chantment of that lovely and tragic
city, hut its music in the nuances
of his prosc, its sciencc in the detach¬
ment of his human rescarches, its crafts¬
manship in his skill. He springs from
an illustrious linc of physicians and
laryngologists, and attained renown in
the clinic before becoming a world¬
hgure in literature, with the publica¬
tion of Auarol in 1802. For morc than
ehree decades, his short storics, novel¬
ettes and dramas havc becn acclaimed
by critics and laity for their charming
Viennese wit, their fine compassion,
their uniguc and not unpleasant melan¬
cholv. In ehe last few years the Ameri¬
can success of Frankein Eige, Khnproch,
Darbreak and Tiereia has consolidated a
growing fame and brought to many
new readers the magic of his grave and
simple art.
K