Not an
obscure book at all, a consideration of Hunger within its late 19th century
context makes clear why it is considered an early modern classic, echoing
through the literature of the century that followed. Knut Hamsun’s novel stands in sharp contrast
to much that had come before: it is a plotless narrative of a destitute
writer’s mental state as he pits his personal vision against the harsh
realities of the outer world. Hunger and
poverty weigh heavily upon him. We don’t
know exactly how he arrived at this state, although there are enough hints
dropped for us to know that it hasn’t been a perpetual situation.
We meet the
author (clearly Hamsun’s surrogate) in the midst of his troubles, but at least
with a roof over his head. He is on the
street soon enough, but holds optimism that a turn of fortune is at hand. He does have a tendency, if not a
determination, to subvert himself – no sooner does he come into a pittance than
he impulsively gives it away, or rejects offered assistance through a misplaced
pride. He is prone to bouts of
self-aggrandizement, alternating with periods of hopeless despair. He further swings between touching
sentimentality and fierce rancor. In the
streets of 21st century America, he would simply be counted among
the homeless mentally ill, but the narrative is sustained by his internal
dialog, and clearly there is a degree of intelligence and self-awareness being
portrayed.
In narrative
terms, the arc of the story is a rather shallow one, and one can’t imagine too
many realistic scenarios (short of violence or death) by which Hamsun could bring the tale to an end, but
there is enough of a narrative to pull the reader forward. It’s considered that this story is largely
autobiographical, with incidents from the author’s own years of desperation. Aside from some unsavory opinions and
associations during the years of Nazi occupation of Norway, I know little of
Hamsun’s life and work. I suppose Hunger serves as a proper introduction,
and I’d be curious to investigate the perspectives of his other writings.
