Feb 20, 2007

Essence of Iceland



Independent People: An Epic, by Halldór Laxness.
Translated by J.A. Thompson, introduction by Brad Leithauser. New York: Vintage, 1997. Originally published 1946.




I began this book over a year ago, and after many fits and starts just couldn't get into it. I took it to Iceland with us, and reading it there allowed the book to grab ahold of me. Independent People is quintessential Laxness. It evokes an era of Icelandic history that is past, and brings that era to life with grace and power. Visiting the area where the story takes place, in the south near Vik, it was very easy to imagine the people who eked out a living there a hundred years ago.

The story features an irascible sheep farmer, Bjartur of Summerhouses. He is short-sighted when it comes to the people around him, yet has a strong and unyielding vision regarding his place in the world--his place as a man who owns land and sheep, a man who is dependent upon no one. Unfortunately this vision is battered time and time again by circumstance. Iceland at the beginning of the twentieth century is a hard, unforgiving land, and social equity is not on close terms with the poor. Despite the tragic undertones inherent in the plot, the characters are drawn with great originality and humor in true Laxness fashion.

Bjartur is fearlessly direct in his dealings with the people who make up his world, whether they be rich or poor, honest or shams. Bjartur is "determined to meet everything with equanimity." The Bailiff, who is a man of much stature in the community, responds to Bjartur's plain language by saying, "Yes, old boy...you always would have your little joke, wouldn't you?" Yet Bjartur doesn't dissemble or trifle with others; he shows very little evidence of humor. He is single-sighted in his pursuit of maintaining his independence and caring for his beloved sheep, and when he sacrifices everything--including his family-- in pursuit of these goals it is hard not to despise him. It is a credit to Laxness' skill that he draws Bjartur so finely that you can't hate him as you want to, because you understand him. Most authors buy your allegiance to their characters by allowing them to change, to become more as you might want them to be. Not so Bjartur! One is never disappointed by seeing him be less than true to his nature.

Delicate, tiny mosses grow in Icelandic lava, if you look closely. You will find some little beauty in Bjartur as well, beauty that is colorful, varied, subtle.

Has Halldor Laxness written a book that is less than perfect? How beautiful is his language? Try this:

It was the shortest day. The sky grew overcast during the morning, with low clouds, snow-charged and threatening, hanging half-way up the mountain slopes. No wondrous gleam lit soul or landscape; there was only a little midday no sooner come than gone, yet how much darkness was needed to wrap it round!

8 comments:

Darien Fisher-Duke said...

Hmmm. I see that I assigned three puffins to "Under the Glacier." Guess that answers my question.

Professor Batty said...

There are so many great moments... Bjartur's rejection of Asta is heartbreaking... Bill Holm told of the Icelandic National Radio serializing Independent People and during the daily reading people stopped what they were doing to listen to the story, crying when the cow died. If Independent People explains a lot about the personal psychological make-up of Icelanders, Iceland's Bell defines the nation's... What's next on your list?

Darien Fisher-Duke said...

PB
You know, I'm glad you reminded me of that story of Holm's. I remember the passage, but had forgotten that it related to Independent People! What do you suggest I read next? My reviews aren't up to date: I have read Fish Can Sing, Under the Glacier, and World Light. Maybe Paradise Reclaimed next? Or I could always read Fish Can Sing again. And again.

Have you read The Bread of Life? It is reprinted here:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3760/is_199810/ai_n8823461/pg_1

Darien Fisher-Duke said...

Try this instead to read the Laxness short story, "The Bread of Life":

http://findarticles.com/

Search it this way:

bread of life laxness

Professor Batty said...

... Iceland's Bell is pretty majestic, maybe better as a vacation book, The Atom Station is very good, gives some insight on post-WWII Iceland. I read Paradise Reclaimed twice, better the second time, but the Mormon sub-plot might be distracting (or a plus, if you are interested in Mormonism). I was in the Rekjavík city library in 2004 at a photo exhibition there where there was a book that featured Halldór and said that his writing helped define the Icelandic identity, more so than any other writer.
The Bread of Life story was good- It reminded me of Laxness himself, in his speech at the Noble prize banquet...

ECS said...

it's odd to read this today after I was singing a new song in choir rehearsal last night based on a Laxness poem. As for Independent People, every Laxness fan I know here in Iceland says it's not the best one. Still, I got quite into it, partly because I read it during my first autumn-winter season here, and somehow it seemed so appropriate to be reading it as the darkness closed around us and the wind howled on an almost-nightly basis outside.

Anonymous said...

Bisit my new Halldor Laxness ite - still in progress - at

http://halldor.bravehost.com/index.html

I hate to clog the comments with shameless links, but don't know where else to spread the word ...

Darien Fisher-Duke said...

PB
I think I'm in the mood for Paradise Reclaimed. It will be a sad day when I'm sitting here awaiting the next translation!

ECS
I agree about Independent People not being THE best--The Fish Can Sing is one of my favorite books, by any author, anywhere. I agree with you that Independent People is so very atmospheric. I wish I could hear his poem set to a choral piece!