Kongens Fald - Know Your Classic

Johannes V. Jensen's historical novel 'The Fall of the King' was published in its entirety in 1901 and celebrates its 125th anniversary this year. When it first appeared, the novel met with harsh criticism - few could have imagined that nearly a century later it would be crowned "the novel of the century" and secure a central place in Danish literary history.

The novel follows Mikkel Thøgersen, whose life mirrors the greatness and downfall of King Christian II, with the Stockholm Bloodbath as a dramatic turning point. Today's literary expert Anders T. K. Ølholm argues, however, that one should not read it for the plot alone. 'The Fall of the King' is remarkable precisely because it has no single fixed form: it moves between poetic, almost visionary passages and sections that read like pure page-turners - scattered glimpses that together form a complex human portrait. The novel is also Jensen's depiction of the Danish national character, embodied in Mikkel Thøgersen: the great dreamer and fantasist, but also plagued by indecision and longing.

Anders T. K. Ølholm provides an introduction to the work and its author, pointing out why the novel continues to captivate its readers 125 years after publication.

The event takes place at Biblioteket Sønderborg, Level 2, Indsigten, Nørre Havnegade 15, 6400 Sønderborg.