Ludvig Holberg
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Ludvig Holberg |
Ludvig Holberg (
December 3,
1684 â€"
January 27,
1754) was a
Danish-
Norwegian writer and playwright born in
Bergen,
Norway. He died in
Copenhagen. Holberg's works about natural law and common law were read widely by many Danish law students over two hundred years, from
1736 to
1936.
Holberg was the youngest of six brothers. His father,
Christian Nielsen Holberg, died before Ludvig was one year old. He was educated in
Copenhagen, and was a teacher at the
University of Copenhagen for many years. At the same time, he started his successful career as an author, writing the first of a series of comedies.
He began to study theology at the University of Copenhagen and later taught himself law, history and language. He was not particularly interested in theology as a career, settling for an
attestats (similar to a
Bachelor's degree today), which gave him the right to work as a priest; he did not attempt a
baccalaureus,
magister or
doctorate in the subject, nor did he follow a career as a theology professor, priest, or bishop. In Holberg's youth, it was common to study theology and specialize according to one's degree, for example in Greek, Latin, philosophy or history. For the purpose of becoming a lawyer, it was normal to study abroad. In
1736 the Danish Lawyer degree was established at the University of Copenhagen, a degree which continued to be granted for 200 years, and for which Holberg's writings remained common reading material throughout this time. Holberg was formally appointed assistant professor after having first worked as one without pay. He had to accept the first available position, which was teaching
metaphysics. Later, he became a professor and taught
rhetoric, or in other words Latin. Finally, he was given a professorship in the subject which he prized most and was most productive in, history.
Holberg was well-educated and well-traveled. In his adolescence, he visited large cities in countries such as
The Netherlands and
France, and lived for a short period of time in
Rome; and for a longer period of time in
Oxford,
England (1706–1708), which was rare during that time as intellectual life was centered in continental Europe. He was not formally admitted to
Oxford University, but spent his time there using the libraries and participating in Latin discussions with the English students.
Holberg's travels were a main inspiration in his later writings — these experiences matured him both artistically and morally. Holberg let himself be inspired by old Latin comedies and newer French comedies he had seen in Paris, and street theaters in Rome.
His writings can be divided into three periods, during which he produced mainly history, 1711 â€"1718; mainly satirical poetry and stage comedies, 1719 â€" 1731; and mainly philosophy, 1731 â€"1750. His rich output of comedies during the middle period was shaped by his role as house dramatist at Denmark's first public theater, opened in Copenhagen in 1721. These comedies are the works on which his fame rests today.
In Paris, Holberg met the Danish scientist
Jacob Winsløw, who was
Catholic. Winsløw tried to convert Holberg, without success. Holberg began to consider himself a
Lutheran, and held anti-Catholic views.
Holberg criticized school doctrines in Christianity, arguing that "Children must be made into men, before they can become Christians"
["Børn maa gjøres til Mennesker, førend de blive Christne."] and "If one learns Theology, before learning to become a man, one will never become a man."
["Hvis een lærer Theologie, førend han lærer at blive Menneske, bliver han aldrig Menneske."] Holberg believed in people's inner divine light of reason, and to him it was important that the first goal of education was to teach students to use their senses and intellect, instead of the uselessly memorising school books. This was a new, modern understanding of the question of religion, and it shows he was a renaissance man. Holberg was interested in intellect because he felt this that banded society together. He also wondered why there was so much evil in the world, especially when one could let reason lead the way. One could say that he distanced himself from a religious explanation of evil towards a rational/
empirical train of thought, and this is important because of his status as an author; both in his time and ours.
Holberg was open to biblical criticism, and the
heliocentric worldview of the times didn't worry him. This stood in contrast to the biblical view of the Earth as the center. Holberg's religious representation was, for the most part,
deism. He was critical of the notion of
original sin, however, instead subscribing to the notion of man's free will.
Holberg's declared intentions with his authorship were to enlighten people to better society. This also fits in with the picture of Holberg as a renaissance man. It is worth nothing Holberg enjoyed larger cities with deep culture â€" small cities and nature did not interest him.
Before Holberg's time, science was dominated by the theology that the world was unmovable. The eighteenth century renaissance meant that science became more popular, and this was advancement for experience based experiment (empiricism) that had given science a new foundation and possibilities. Holberg added the principal part of this development.
Holdberg's concept for science was that it should be
inductive (through experience built on observations) and practical to use. A humorous example is his
Betænkning over den nu regierende Qvæg-Syge, (1745) where he reasons that the infection referenced in his book comes from
microorganisms.
In youth
Holberg had to live a modest life in his youth and early adulthood. He earned a living as a tutor and as a travel companion for noble men and tried to work as a private sports coach at the university. He received further support from a grant to travel to other universities in other countries, namely Protestant universities, but this was a condition he did not respect, for he searched out those places where the discussion were the loudest and the experiences were the largest.
During his stay in England, Holberg set his eyes on academic authoring and on his return, he started writing about history. Later he wrote also about natural and international law, possibly at the prompting of an older professor who likened him to natural and international law authors such as
Hugo Grotius and
Samuel Pufendorf.
To make the most possible profit, Holberg published his own works and sold them as papers under a subscription to interested people, typically in an ark. Holberg also tried to, with some luck, a distributor in Norway. His book about natural and international court came in several versions, and one can say to an extent, this was not a good, or solid, source of income.
Investments
Holberg lived modestly and could invest a large part of the profits from the sale of his books to the side and loan them out or invest them in more active ventures. He has several times in his writings criticized towns people and nobles who used the towns people's resources in unproductive ways to carry them around in chairs, to serve in houses and throw away money on luxury. He ate reasonably and didn't use his money to be driven around. He said his travels on foot, and continued walking, was the reason he could keep his
malaria, which had plagued him in the south, under control.
When he came to the conclusion he could put his money in better ventures than trading, he put his money in real estate. His first large property purchase, Brorupgaard close to
Havrebjerg, happened in stages; first he loaned money to the owner at that time, and later took over the farm himself.
Some years later, Holberg also purchased Tersløsegård by Dianalund, the only one of his properties which is preserved because the others in Bergen, Copenhagen and Havrebjerg are either burned down or torn down.
Sorø Academy and Holberg's will
Holberg was both unmarried and childless, but in the end of his life had a small fortune. He was interested in leaving a legacy and left his estate to
Sorø Academy, which was a royal riding academy, with the goal of creating an institution at a university level for young men coming from nobility. Holberg supported the idea of the academy, worked out suggestions to which academic direction it would take and was asked by the king's superintendent to refer some professors for the school.
The agreement with the king included that Holberg would be free of taxes from any income from the farms he owned, because the amount donated to the school should be larger than the amount he would pay in taxes. At the same time, he earned the title of
baron.
Holberg's casket, a work of
Johannes Wiedewelt, can be seen in Sorø Monastery Church.
Stinginess or sensible conservatism?
It is shown in Holbergs correspondence he was very conservative with money where he thought it would not be of any use, for example, he was against raising the wage of the pedagogues of Havrebjerg.
Holberg commented several times that he was willing to use money if it was put to good use, for example, he would use money on medication and supplied for his farm hands if they suffered from injury or illness.
When academia had large economic difficulties , because funding was very limited, Holberg agreed to help fund the academy (at Sorø Academy) while he was alive.
Norwegian
Edvard Grieg composed the
Holberg Suite (opus 40) to honor Holberg. The suite is in the style of country dances from Holberg's time.
The Norwegian
University of Bergen awards the
Holberg International Memorial Prize. The €520.000 endowed prize was awarded to
JĂĽrgen Habermas in 2005, and to
Julia Kristeva in 2004.
There is a town named after Holberg on Northern Vancouver Island in British Columbia Canada. It was founded by Danish immigrants in 1907.
Comedies
Den Politiske Kandestøber, 1722
Den Vægelsindede, 1722
Jean de France eller Hans Frandsen, 1722
Jeppe paa Bjerget eller den forvandlede Bonde, 1722
Mester Gert Westphaler, 1722
Barselstuen, 1723
Den ellefte Junii, 1723
Jacob von Tyboe eller den stortalende Soldat, 1723
Ulysses von Ithacia, 1723
Erasmus Montanus eller Rasmus Berg, 1723
Don Ranudo de Colibrados, 1723
Uden Hoved og Hale, 1723
Den Stundesløse, 1723
Hexerie eller Blind Allarm, 1723
Melampe, 1723
Det lykkelige Skibbrud, 1724
Det Arabiske Pulver, 1724
Mascarade, 1724
Julestuen, 1724
De Usynlige, 1724
Kildereisen, 1725
Henrich og Pernille, 1724-1726
Den pantsatte Bondedreng, 1726
Pernilles korte Frøkenstand, 1727
Den Danske Comoedies Liigbegængelse, 1727
Den honette Ambition, 1731
Plutus eller Proces imellom Fattigdom og Riigdom, utg. 1753
Husspøgelse eller Abracadabra, utg. 1753
Philosophus udi egen Indbildning, utg. 1754
Republiqven eller det gemeene Bedste, utg. 1754
Sganarels Rejse til det philosophiske Land, utg. 1754
Poems
Peder Paars, 1720
fire Skæmtedigte, 1722
Metamorphosis eller Forvandlinger, 1726
Novels
Nicolai Klimii iter subterraneum, 1741. (Translated to Danish by Hans Hagerup in 1742 as
Niels Klims underjordiske Rejse.)
Essays
Moralske Tanker, 1744
Epistler, 1748–54
Moralske Fabler, 1751
Tre latinske levnedsbreve, 1728-1743
Historical works
Introduction til de fornemste Europæiske Rigers Historier, 1711
Morals Kierne eller Introduction til Naturens og Folke-Rettens Kundskab, 1716
Dannemarks og Norges Beskrivelse, 1729
Dannemarks Riges Historie, 1732–35
Den berømmelige Norske Handel-Stad Bergens Beskrivelse, 1737
Almindelig Kirke-Historie, 1738
Den jødiske Historie fra Verdens Begyndelse, fortsat til disse Tider, 1742
Adskillige store Helte og berømmelige Mænds sammenlignede Historier, 1739–53
Adskillige Heltinders og navnkundige Damers sammenlignede Historier, 1745
*En primær kilde er Ludvig Holbergs latinske levnedsbreve. Det kan anbefales at benytte Aage Kragelunds moderne udgave: Ludvig Holbergs Tre Levnedsbreve 1728-1743. Udgaven indeholder en indledning, Holbergs tekst parallelt på latin og dansk, kommentarer og register.
* Ole B. Thomsen: Embedsstudiernes Universitet, bd. 1-2 (Akademisk Forlag, København 1975)
* Grethe Ilsøe: Juridisk eksamen for ustuderede. Kollektiv biografi af 1. kandidatgeneration (eksamensårgangene 1736-65) i: Personalhistorisk Tidsskrift, 1985, nr. 2
*
Free ebook of Ludvig Holberg at
Project Gutenberg
