Comedies

by Ludvig Holberg

Ludvig Holberg was an 18th century Norwegian writer, essayist, philosopher, historian and playwright. Holberg is considered the founder of modern Danish and Norwegian literature and is best known for his comedies. After the Copenhagen Fire of 1728 depression and Puritanism enveloped the nation, which clashed with Holberg's satirical works. Because of this he gave up his comedies switching to philosophical and historical writing. Comedies included are Jeppe of the Hill, The Political Tinker, and Erasmus Montanus

Genres: Plays, Drama, Fiction, Classics

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1754

About the author

Ludvig Holberg, Baron of Holberg, a writer, essayist, philosopher, historian and playwright born in Bergen, Norway during the time of the Dano-Norwegian double monarchy, spent most of his adult life in Denmark. He was influenced by Humanism, the Enlightenment and the Baroque. Holberg is considered the founder of modern Danish and Norwegian literature and is best known for the comedies he wrote in 1722–1723 for the theatre in Lille Grønnegade in Copenhagen.

Reviews

[Addison Hart]

A clumsy satirist whose only subjects are the pretensions of the middle class and the stupidity of the poor. It's the anti-Figaro in that it made me appreciate Beaumarchais much much more. Not to mention the French Revolution.

[Trond]

Kandstøberen og Jeppe er vel platte, men Den Stundesløse morosamare og Erasmus Montanus har noko for seg!

[Sara]

An easy read, which might be more to do with the translator than with Holberg himself. But plays were pretty funny, if a bit quid-pro-quo-y at the end.