Masquerade

“The Jewish question” and autofictional narrative positions in the rewriting of Lykke-Per

Abstract

Henrik Pontoppidan’s Lykke-Per (1898–1904) is regarded as a landmark in Danish literary history. This article examines the novel’s autofictional engagement with the Jewish question, a major cultural issue in Europe at the time. The analysis focuses on Pontoppidan’s portrayal of Georg Brandes and his blending of biographical layers with the thematic treatment of Jewish identity. Like in most of his other works, Pontoppidan repeatedly rewrote and revised Lykke-Per, producing multiple versions of the text. Pontoppidan had a relatively close relationship with Brandes, and the depiction of him as Dr Nathan reflects this familiarity. However, their paths began to diverge during the Lykke-Per period. Pontoppidan grew increasingly critical of Brandes’ ideas of the Modern Break­through and the boundless liberal modernity that, in Pontop­pidan’s view, transformed “the old world” through capitalism, technology, urbanisation, rootlessness, critique of tradition, and demands for rights and recognition from previously marginalised groups. Many contem­poraries, as Pontoppidan’s literary works also reflect, experienced the societal developments of the time as accelerated and lacking a solid foundation. This perception is evident in the portrayal of Dr Nathan, alias Brandes, in Lykke-Per, despite the rewritings and edits that, among other things, toned down antisemitic stereotypes.