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A.Lundkvist: "Sholokhov’s Personages Show a Truly Tragic Sweep"

On March 3, it is the 110th anniversary of Artur Lundkvist (1906–1991), a Swedish writer, poet, literary critic and essayist, Member of the Swedish Academy of Language and Literature. Lundkvist highly appreciated the work of M.A.Sholokhov and called for awarding the writer the Nobel Prize in literature.

Artur Lundkvist was born on March 3, 1906, in a rural community of Oderljunga (Kristianstad, Southern Sweden) into a peasant family. His first book of poems “Glowing Embers” was published in 1928. In the 1930s, Lundkvist participated in a group of Swedish writers and contributed to the important anthology “Five Young Men”. Together with the poet Gunnar Ekelöf he published the influential literary journal “Caravan” and actively cooperated with the editorial boards of a number of Swedish newspapers. In 1968, he was awarded the title of Honoured Philosophy Doctor of the Stockholm University. In the same year he was elected to the Swedish Academy of Language and Literature, where he remained one of the most authoritative and active members until his death.

Artur Lundkvist highly praised the novel “And Quiet Flows the Don” by M.A.Sholokhov, when it was published in Sweden in 1930, and in 1935 he called for awarding the author the Nobel Prize in literature.

Lundkvist got personally acquainted with Sholokhov in 1957, when the Soviet writer was on a visit to Sweden. Then, in 1963, they met in the Soviet Union, at the forum of the European Community of Writers, in Leningrad, where M.A.Sholokhov opened the first session of its steering body.

In 1965, commenting on the decision of the Swedish Academy about awarding Sholokhov the Nobel Prize Lundkvist stressed: “The selection made by the Academy is good although it has come very late. Long before, I’ve got a clear understanding that Sholokhov should win the award. If it had happened ten years ago, it would have been more interesting. The Academy has only corrected its mistake.”

Later, in his interviews to the Soviet and foreign press he said: “…I had a pleasure of meeting with Sholokhov many times in the Soviet Union and in Sweden during his visits. Sholokhov is a powerful and bright personality. He has already been a classic long before primarily due to his novel “And Quiet Flows the Don”. The more time passes, the more impressive and astounding this book is. It is astounding because it is written by a young man, but it reveals a maturity of the soul, a deep penetration into human nature. And what a skill it is! The novel recreates the world, which surrounded Sholokhov in his youth. But, of course, the power of the book is primarily in the description of people and ongoing social transformations, of people shocked by the clashes between the old and the new, between the deep attachment to the past and the indomitable faith and love for the new life forcing its way. Sholokhov’s personages show a truly tragic sweep, they are capable of gaining victories in difficult struggles over themselves…”

M.A.Sholokhov called A.Lundkvist one of the outstanding representatives of modern Swedish literature. The Swedish writer was a successful translator and popularizer of the achievements in the world and Russian literature and culture. In 1957, he was awarded the International Lenin Prize “For Strengthening Peace among Peoples”.

In the working room of M.A.Sholokhov in the Memorial House of his Estate there is a souvenir “A Flying Bird” which was presented to the writer by Artur Lundkvist at one of their meetings.

Lidiya Slyusarenko