— Ch. 1 · Peasant Roots And Academic Rise —
Esaias Tegnér.
~3 min read · Ch. 1 of 6
Esaias Tegnér was born in the village of Tegnaby, where his father took the surname from the local place name. His grandparents on both sides were peasants before he entered Lund University in 1799. He graduated with a philosophy degree by 1802 and worked as a tutor until 1810. That year marked his election as a Greek lecturer at the same university. In 1806 he married Anna Maria Gustava Myhrman, a woman he had been attached to since earliest youth. By 1812 he held the title of professor and continued lecturing until 1824. The path from peasant background to academic elite was slow but steady for this future writer.
The Gothic League Formation
In 1811 the Swedish Academy awarded him its great prize for the poem Svea. This victory made him famous across Sweden almost overnight. Later that same year a club called the Gothic League formed in Stockholm. It gathered young men of letters who shared patriotic views. Tegnér quickly became the chief figure within this group. They published a magazine named Iduna which printed excellent poetry and discussed Icelandic literature. Other members included Geijer, Afzelius, and Nicander. These figures helped promote national romanticism through their collective work and public discussions about old Norse history.