A novelist, poet, playwright, short story writer and essayist, Lagerkvist is one of Sweden’s most important 20th-century writers. His moralistic style is often focused on the question of faith, although he did not personally adhere to or promote the Christian pietism that he grew up with. The themes of Lagerkvist’s writing frequently address the duality of mankind, the struggle between good and evil, and the inability to know the difference.
Pär Fabian Lagerkvist was born on 13 May 1891 in Växjö, Sweden, in the province of Småland. His parents were Anders Johan Lagerkvist, who worked at a railroad station, and Johanna (née Blad). Pär Lagerkvist was the youngest of seven children, and the family lived in a small apartment above the railroad station’s restaurant. Lagerkvist’s
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Citation: Mier-Cruz, Benjamin. "Pär Lagerkvist". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 17 August 2012 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=11881, accessed 12 October 2024.]