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' Hunger ' by Knut Hamsun is a masterpiece of Norwegian literature and a cornerstone of literary modernism. Published in 1890, this psychological novel follows a young, unnamed writer as he wanders the streets of Oslo, consumed by hunger, loneliness, and despair. The narrative, entirely focused on the protagonists consciousness, depicts with rare intensity the physical and mental deterioration of a man facing extreme poverty.
The main character, proud and stubborn, refuses to beg or compromise, preferring to endure hunger to the brink of madness. Hamsun explores with clinical precision the fluctuations of the human mind, oscillating between lucidity, exaltation, and delirium. The narration plunges the reader into a world where every thought, every impulse, every attempt at survival becomes an inner battle.
This novel, often considered a precursor to existentialism, sheds light on the condition of the cursed artist, social alienation, and the search for meaning in an indifferent world. It appeals to those interested in Norwegian literature, psychological novels, or existential introspection, and fits naturally into the major categories of modernism and 19th-century European literature.
About the author
Knut Hamsun (1859.1952) was a major Norwegian writer and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1920. Born into a poor family in northern Norway, he experienced a youth marked by hardship and solitude, experiences that would inform his work. After years of wandering and odd jobs, he published ' Hunger ' in 1890, a novel that revolutionized Norwegian literature with its modernity and psychological depth.
Hamsun is considered a precursor of literary modernism. His writing, focused on introspection and subjectivity, explores the depths of the human soul, despair, and the search for meaning. He deeply influenced authors such as Kafka, Camus, and Sartre, and remains a key reference in psychological and existentialist novels.
Despite the controversy surrounding his political positions, his literary legacy remains immense. He captured, with rare acuity, the torments of the individual confronted by loneliness, poverty, and madness, making ' Hunger ' a classic of world literature.
