Jens Peter Jacobsen (1847–1885), educated as a botanist in Copenhagen, turned to literature at the age of twenty-five after contracting tuberculosis and being forced to give up his scientific career. Jacobsen’s prose combines a scientist’s attention to the laws of nature with emotional depth, lyricism, and sensuality, creating a sublime effect that inspired a generation of writers. Rainer Maria Rilke wrote about Jacobsen’s work: “A whole world will envelop you, the happiness, the abundance, the inconceivable vastness of a world.” Jacobsen wrote “Mrs. Fonss” shortly before his death as a gesture of farewell to his dedicated readers.
WORKS THAT HAVE APPEARED IN NARRATIVE:
- Mrs. Fonss, a short story, in Stories of the Week: 2011–2012