Adapted from Niels Lyhne by Jens Peter Jacobsen
Peter Jacobsen's "Niels Lyhne" was published in Denmark in 1880. During this time period, social mobilty increased, but
between social classes in terms of educational and economic opportunity.
Dout a year, Niels Lyhne had lived at Lön-borggaard, managing the farm as well as he knew how. He had learned to kno
physical labor. He found joy in seeing the pile growing under his hand and in being able to get through with what he w
was through. He also knew that the work would stand and not be eaten up by doubt in the night or dispersed by critic
after. There were no Sisyphus stones in agriculture.
joy it was, too, when he had worked till he was tired, to go to bed and gather strength in sleep and to spend it again as
t followed one upon the other. He was never hindered by the caprices of his brain and did not have to handle himself
itar with loose pegs.
es really happy in a quiet way, and often he would sit, as his father had sat, on a stile or a boundary stone, staring out
e trance.
he had not begun to seek the society of the neighboring families, except Councillor Skinnerup's in Varde, whom he v
y.
Kinnerups had come to town while his father was still living, and as the Councillor was an old university friend of Lynn