An Essay Toward a History of Shakespeare in Norway

"An Essay Toward a History of Shakespeare in Norway" by Martin B. Ruud is an academic exploration of how Shakespeare's plays have been interpreted, translated, and performed in Norway. Rather than looking at Shakespeare's general influence, the research pinpoints how Norwegian political situations and artistic movements changed the way Shakespeare was perceived. It begins by focusing on a group of thinkers in Trondhjem who started a society to promote a uniquely Norwegian way of thinking, which then led to Norway's first translations of Shakespeare. Norway's bond with Denmark plays a big role, as the essay explores the cultural and linguistic connections which developed these adaptations of Shakespeare. A key point is the struggle of keeping Shakespeare's language in translations, with early tries revealing the problems and the growing admiration for Shakespeare in Norway.