Peter Stein Larsen

Dansk identitet i moderne lyrik

Peter Stein Larsen: “Danish Identity in Modern Poetry” The article examines how Danish identity has been expressed in poetry. Since the 1960s, Danish poetry has had a tradition of a critical focus on national identity. This tradition of ‘interaction poetry’ has a polyphonic enunciation, a style influenced by spoken language and an ironic perspective on Danish identity. The tradition is distinct from the dominant symbolist and modernist tradition, where one can observe a monological enunciation, a high poetic style and an international perspective. A special feature of the tradition of a critical focus on national identity is its ability to express an implied utopia of openness, empathy, equality and solidarity, despite the fact that the poems are ironic about Danish xenophobia, narrowness, pettiness, bureaucracy and lack of engagement in the world. The article investigates a number of poetry collections by Klaus Rifbjerg, Benny Andersen, Marianne Larsen, Henrik Nordbrandt, Maja Lee Langvad and Eva Tind Kristensen.