Career
Vinje founded the periodical Dølen (The dales-man) in 1858, in which he published travel accounts, and editorial comments on art, language and politics that serve as records for the period in which he lived. Dølen ceased publication in 1870.
Vinje did much to articulate the difference between city and rural life in Norway and was among the sophisticated exponents of Norwegian romantic nationalism. Despite this, he was also known for his critical scepticism and double views (No: tvisyn) - that is, he advocated to embrace both pro and contra arguments to avoid confirmation bias. He was politically active to the extent that the government fired him from his work as an attorney for criticizing its foreign policy.
Among his writings, the Ferdaminni fraa Sumaren 1860 (A remembrance of a voyage in the summer 1860, not translated), rank in high esteem in Norwegian literature, describing a journey from Oslo to Trondheim in order to cover the coronation of King Charles in the Nidarosdomen cathedral for his periodical. It can be seen as a program for Vinje and the Dølen that the description deals more warm-hearted with his meetings with ordinary people along the journey, than with the royalties he encountered at the coronation.
In 1863 he wrote A Norseman's View of Britain and the British, which was translated into Norwegian ten years later. Some of Vinje's poetry is still very much alive in Norway, especially the poem Ved Rundarne (English: At Rondane), with its tune by Edvard Grieg.
Dying from stomach cancer, Vinje decided to spend his last days in the countryside. He died as a guest of his friend, minister (later bishop) Anton Christian Bang at Gran in Hadeland on 30 July 1870 and is buried nearby in the churchyard of the Sister churches at Granavollen (Søsterkirkene). In 1873, a large monument with a bust of Vinjes by Brynjulf Bergslien was erected at the site.
Today Aasmund Vinje paths exist in several Norwegian cities and towns including Oslo, Stavanger, Trondheim, Moss, Fjellhamar, Corby, Hamar, Gjøvik, Rjukan, Skien and Mandal.
Read more about this topic: Aasmund Olavsson Vinje
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