Klaus Rifbjerg

Although Klaus Rifbjerg's output is prodigious--including more than 25 novels and 15 volumes of poetry--only two works, a volume of selected poems and one novel are thus far available in English. Charlotte Gray has provided a comprehensive introduction to the works of this versatile man of letters, who enjoys a reputation not only as a novelist and poet but as a critic, playwright, journalist, and editor. She discusses Rifbjerg's place both in the contemporary Danish literary scene and in modern letters. Offering a thorough analysis of each work, she traces Rifbjerg's development chronologically and in terms of his contributions to various genres--particularly modernist poetry and psychological fiction--and points out the underlying unity of his work within these different forms. The author's generous use of quotations and her sensitive commentary give a keen impression of Rifbjerg's style and central concerns and convey his sense of the comic and tragic dimensions of modern existence.