O. E. Rolvaag

Max Lester Loges (Lamar University)
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Ole Edvart Rølvaag [hereafter spelled ‘Rolvaag', as he is known in the US] was a Norwegian-American novelist of the early twentieth century. He is best known for his

Giants in the Earth

(1927), which is about Norwegian settlement in the state of South Dakota in the United States during the 1870's. The primary theme of all of Rolvaag's works is the psychological and spiritual costs associated with immigration.

Rolvaag was born on April 22, 1876 on the Norwegian island of Donna located just south of the Arctic Circle. His parents were Peder Jakobsen and Ellerine Pedersdatter Vagg. He attended the school on the island and developed as a boy a real interest in reading. At an early age, Rolvaag expressed the desire to one day become a poet. Nevertheless, at fourteen, he joined his father

1790 words

Citation: Loges, Max Lester. "O. E. Rolvaag". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 03 February 2009 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=3834, accessed 19 March 2024.]

3834 O. E. Rolvaag 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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