"det är där min längtan vilar/ innan den flyger hem.": En studie av användningen av ordet längtan i Edith Södergrans tidiga diktning, i anknytning till Arthur Schopenhauers viljefilosofi och konstsyn

Sammanfattning: The poetry of Edith Södergran had a major influence on literary modernism in Scandinavia. The poems, and the person behind them, continue to intrigue. The authorship is divided into three periods; the second period is associated with the influence of Friedrich Nietzsche. In addition, several of Södergran’s earlier poems have been interpreted as inspired by Arthur Schopenhauer. In this thesis, I examine this influence through the use of the word “längtan”, (longing). The main focus is ten early poems. “Längtan” has previously been researched as an important word and theme of Södergran. In this study, the use of the word “längtan” is closely examined as an artistic interpretation of Schopenhauer’s philosophy, and connections with his central work The World as Will and Representation are discussed. The analysis uses three valuable perspectives from Jean-Pierre Richard and his thematic criticism. To explore the figurative language of the poems, Peter Hallberg’s Diktens bildspråk and Lars Elleström’s Lyrikanalys are essential. The study shows that the purest and clearest expression of the influence from Schopenhauer is found in the poem “En strimma hav”, (A Strip of Sea).