Grundtvig’s “Paaske-Lilien” from the Perspective of Genre Theory

Grundtvigs “Paaske-Lilien” i et genreteoretisk perspektiv

Abstract

“Paaske-Lilien” from 1817 has rightly been called a high point in Grundtvig’s lyrical art (Lundgreen-Nielsen 1980, 717). While this enigmatic work has given rise to a multitude of different interpretations, one question has preoccupied most interpreters: What is its genre. This problem is almost inherent in the work as it appears. How can the genre be determined for a work that does not label itself and that quite obviously consists of different, disparate genres and layers? This article addresses these questions, first by characterizing the structure of “Paaske-Lilien” to determine its genre and, second, by analyzing the work from the perspective of genre theory.