author
Henrik Hertz
1798–1870
A major voice in Denmark’s Golden Age, he wrote witty comedies, lyrical dramas, and poetry that made him one of the country’s best-known 19th-century writers. His work moves easily between sharp satire and romantic feeling, giving it both charm and staying power.
1 Audiobook
Kuningas René'n tytär : Lyrillinen drama yhdessä näytöksessä
by Henrik Hertz
About the author
Born in Copenhagen in either 1797 or 1798, Henrik Hertz grew up in difficult circumstances after losing his father young and after family losses during the British bombardment of Copenhagen in 1807. He studied law, but literature pulled him in another direction, and he soon became part of the lively Danish Romantic scene.
Hertz first won attention with stage works and poems that showed both polish and wit. He became closely associated with the literary world around Johan Ludvig Heiberg and was admired for his sense of form, his elegant verse, and his skill in comedy and drama. Over time, he wrote across several genres, including plays, poems, and lyrical dramas.
He is especially remembered for works such as King René’s Daughter and for helping shape 19th-century Danish literature at a time of intense artistic energy. Though tastes changed after his lifetime, he remains an important figure for readers interested in Scandinavian Romantic writing and the cultural world of Denmark’s Golden Age.