"Ditte, Daughter of Man" (Danish: Ditte Menneskebarn) is a four-volume novel by Danish author Martin Andersen Nexø, published between 1917 and 1921. It is considered one of the most important works of Danish literature.
The novel tells the story of Ditte, a young woman who is born into poverty and struggles to survive in a harsh and unforgiving world. Ditte is a strong and resilient character who endures a great deal of hardship, but she never loses her spirit.
The novel is divided into four parts:
- Ditte, Child of Man (1917)
- Ditte, Daughter of Man (1920)
The novel has been adapted for film and television on several occasions. The most famous adaptation is the 1946 Danish film Ditte, Child of Man, directed by Bjarne Henning-Jensen.
"Ditte, Daughter of Man" is a powerful and moving novel that has been praised for its realism, its social commentary, and its strong female protagonist. It is a must-read for anyone interested in Danish literature or in the history of women's rights.
Martin Andersen Nexø was a Danish writer who was born on June 26, 1869, in Copenhagen, Denmark. He came from a poor family and spent most of his childhood on the island of Bornholm, where he worked as a shepherd and later as a shoemaker's apprentice.
Nexø began writing in his early twenties and quickly gained a reputation for his social realism and his sympathy for the working class. His first major work, The People of the Marshes (1907-1912), is a trilogy that tells the story of a group of peasants who struggle to survive in the harsh conditions of the Danish marshlands. The trilogy was a critical and commercial success and established Nexø as one of the leading writers of his generation.
Nexø's most famous work is Ditte, Daughter of Man (1917-1921), a four-volume novel that tells the story of Ditte, a young woman who is born into poverty and struggles to survive in a harsh and unforgiving world. Ditte is a strong and resilient character who endures a great deal of hardship, but she never loses her spirit. The novel was a huge success and was translated into many languages.
Nexø was a staunch socialist and a member of the Communist Party of Denmark. His later works, such as Pillars of Society (1928) and The Command to Love (1940), reflect his political beliefs.
Nexø died on June 1, 1954, in Dresden, East Germany. He is considered one of the most important Danish writers of the 20th century.
Here are some of Martin Andersen Nexø's most notable works:
- The People of the Marshes (1907-1912)
- Ditte, Daughter of Man (1917-1921)
- Pillars of Society (1928)
- The Command to Love (1940)
Nexø's work has been praised for its realism, its social commentary, and its strong characters. He is considered one of the most important Danish writers of the 20th century.
