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Jon Olav Fosse (born 29 September 1959) is a Norwegian author and dramatist. In 2023, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature "for his innovative plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable." He is the most performed Norwegian playwright after Henrik Ibsen. Often referred to as the "new Ibsen," Fosse's works have been noted to represent a modern continuation of the dramatic tradition established by Ibsen in the 19th century.
Biography
Jon Fosse was born in Haugesund, Norway, and grew up in Strandebarm. A serious accident at age seven brought him close to death; the experience significantly influenced his writing in adulthood. He enrolled in the University of Bergen and studied comparative literature, later embarking on a literary career, writing in Nynorsk, one of the two written standards of the Norwegian language. His debut novel, Raudt, svart (Red, Black), was published in 1983. His first play, Og aldri skal vi skiljast (And We'll Never Be Parted), was performed and published in 1994. Fosse has written novels, short stories, poetry, children's books, essays and plays. His works have been translated into more than forty languages. He also played music (the fiddle), and much of his teenage writing practice involved creating his own lyrics for musical pieces.
Recognition
Fosse is the most performed Norwegian playwright after Henrik Ibsen. He has often been referred to as the "new Henrik Ibsen," and his works as a modern continuation of the tradition established by Henrik Ibsen in the 19th century. He himself mentions Samuel Beckett, as well as Georg Trakl and Thomas Bernhard as his elective relatives. Other authors and books that have influenced his life and work include Olav Hauge, Franz Kafka, William Faulkner, Virginia Woolf and the Bible.
Fosse was made a chevalier of the Ordre national du Mérite of France in 2003. Fosse also has been ranked number 83 on the list of the Top 100 living geniuses by The Daily Telegraph.
Since 2011, Fosse has been granted the Grotten, an honorary residence owned by the Norwegian state and located on the premises of the Royal Palace in the city centre of Oslo. Use of the Grotten as a permanent residence is an honour specially bestowed by the King of Norway for contributions to Norwegian arts and culture.
Fosse was among the literary consultants to Bibel 2011, a Norwegian translation of the Bible published in 2011.
Fosse was awarded the 2015 Nordic Council's Literature Prize for the trilogy Andvake (Wakefulness), Olavs draumar (Olav's Dreams) and Kveldsvævd (Weariness).
Numerous of Fosse's works have been translated into Persian by Mohammad Hamed, and his works have been performed in Teheran, Iran main stages.
In April 2022, his novel A New Name: Septology VI-VII, translated into English by Damion Searls, was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize. The book was named a finalist for the 2023 National Book Critics Circle Award in Fiction.
In October 2023, Fosse was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Between working on his novels, Fosse works as a translator on other authors' works.
Personal life
He lives part of the time with his second wife, a Slovak, in Hainburg an der Donau in Austria. He also has a home in Bergen and two more homes in western Norway. Originally a member of the Church of Norway (although he described himself as atheist before 2012), he joined the Catholic Church in 2012–2013, and hospitalized himself to rehabilitate his long-term alcohol consumption.
Bibliography
Prose
- Raudt, svart (1983). Red, Black
- Stengd gitar (1985). Closed Guitar
- Blod. Steinen er (1987). Blood. The Stone Is
- Naustet (1989). Boathouse, trans. May-Brit Akerholt (Dalkey Archive, 2017).
- Flaskesamlaren (1991). The Bottle-Collector
- Bly og vatn (1992). Lead and Water
- To forteljingar (1993). Two Stories
- Prosa frå ein oppvekst (1994). Prose from a Childhood
- Melancholia I (1995). Melancholy, trans. Grethe Kvernes and Damion Searls (Dalkey Archive, 2006).
- Melancholia II (1996). Melancholy II, trans. Eric Dickens (Dalkey Archive, 2014).
- Eldre kortare prosa med 7 bilete av Camilla Wærenskjold (1998). Older Shorter Prose with 7 Pictures of Camilla Wærenskjold
- Morgon og kveld (2000). Morning and Evening, trans. Damion Searls (Dalkey Archive, 2015).
- Det er Ales (2004). Aliss at the Fire, trans. Damion Searls (Dalkey Archive, 2010).
- Andvake (2007). Wakefulness
- Kortare prosa (2011). Shorter Prose
- Olavs draumar (2012). Olav's Dreams
- Kveldsvævd (2014). Weariness
- Trilogien (2014). Trilogy, trans. May-Brit Akerholt (Dalkey Archive, 2016). Compiles three novellas: Wakefulness, Olav's Dreams and Weariness.
- Det andre namnet – Septologien I-II (2019). The Other Name: Septology I-II, trans. Damion Searls (Fitzcarraldo Editions, 2019).
- Eg er ein annan – Septologien III-V (2020). I Is Another: Septology III-V, trans. Damion Searls (Fitzcarraldo Editions, 2020).
- Eit nytt namn – Septologien VI-VII (2021). A New Name: Septology VI-VII, trans. Damion Searls (Fitzcarraldo Editions, 2021).
Compilations in English
- Scenes from a Childhood, trans. Damion Searls (Fitzcarraldo Editions, 2018). Collects texts from various sources.
- Melancholy I-II, trans. Damion Searls and Grethe Kvernes (Fitzcarraldo Editions, 2023)
Plays
- Nokon kjem til å komme (written in 1992–93; first produced in 1996). Someone Is Going to Come Home
- Og aldri skal vi skiljast (1994). And We'll Never Be Parted
- Namnet (1995). The Name
- Barnet (1996). The Child
- Mor og barn (1997). Mother and Child
- Sonen (1997). The Son
- Natta syng sine songar (1997). Nightsongs, trans. Gregory Motton (2002).
- Gitarmannen (1999). The Guitar Man
- Ein sommars dag (1999). A Summer's Day
- Draum om hausten (1999). Dream of Autumn
- Sov du vesle barnet mitt (2000). Sleep My Baby Sleep
- Besøk (2000). Visits
- Vinter (2000). Winter
- Ettermiddag (2000). Afternoon
- Vakkert (2001). Beautiful
- Dødsvariasjonar (2001). Death Variations
- Jenta i sofaen (2002). The Girl on the Sofa, trans. David Harrower (2002).
- Lilla (2003). Lilac
- Suzannah (2004)
- Dei døde hundane (2004). The Dead Dogs, trans. May-Brit Akerholt (2014).
- Sa ka la (2004)
- Varmt (2005). Warm
- Svevn (2005). Sleep
- Rambuku (2006)
- Skuggar (2006). Shadows
- Eg er vinden (2007). I Am the Wind, trans. Simon Stephens (2012).
- Desse auga (2009). These Eyes
Compilations in English
- Plays One (2002). Someone Is Going to Come Home; The Name; The Guitar Man; The Child
- Plays Two (2004). A Summer's Day; Dream of Autumn; Winter
- Plays Three (2004). Mother and Child; Sleep My Baby Sleep; Afternoon; Beautiful; Death Variations
- Plays Four (2005). And We'll Never Be Parted; The Son; Visits; Meanwhile the lights go down and everything becomes black
- Plays Five (2011). Suzannah; Living Secretly; The Dead Dogs; A Red Butterfly's Wings; Warm; Telemakos; Sleep
- Plays Six (2014). Rambuku; Freedom; Over There; These Eyes; Girl in Yellow Raincoat; Christmas Tree Song; Sea
Poetry
- Engel med vatn i augene (1986)
- Hundens bevegelsar (1990)
- Hund og engel (1992)
- Dikt 1986–1992 (1995). Revidert samleutgåve
- Nye dikt 1991–1994 (1997)
- Dikt 1986–2001 (2001). Samla dikt. Lyrikklubben
- Auge i vind (2003)
- Stein til stein (2013)
Compilations in English
- Poems (Shift Fox Press, 2014). Selection of poems, translated by May-Brit Akerholt.
Essays
- Frå telling via showing til writing (1989)
- Gnostiske essay (1999)
- An Angel Walks Through the Stage and Other Essays, trans. May-Brit Akerholt (Dalkey Archive, 2015).
Awards and honors
- 1997 Aschehoug Prize
- 1998 Nynorsk Literature Prize
- 1999 Dobloug Prize
- 2003 Norsk kulturråds ærespris
- 2003 Nynorsk Literature Prize
- 2003 Chevalier of the Ordre national du Mérite of France (2003)
- 2005 Brage Prize
- 2005 Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav
- 2007 The Swedish Academy Nordic Prize
- 2007 The Federal Ministry of Family Affairs' Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis
- 2010 The Ibsen Award
- 2014 European Prize for Literature
- 2015 Nordic Council Literature Prize
- 2023 Nobel Prize of Literature
- Fosse Foundation (based in Strandebarm) is an organization dedicated to Fosse and his works. The building is located near Fosse's childhood home and a house belonging to his grandparents.
