Svava Jakobsdóttir
Reykjavik Bókmenntaborg UNESCO City of Literature
(English side:)Svava Jakobsdóttir (1930-2004) was one of the most prominent Icelandic writers of the twentieth century. She wrote short stories, novels, plays and non-fiction and her works are considered some of the most significant in Icelandic literary history.
Her first book, the short story collection, 12 konur (12 Women), was published in 1965, although she had already published a short story much earlier, in 1950. Her stories take an original, incisive approach to depicting the internal and external realities of her characters — particularly women — and often blur the line between fantasy and reality in striking ways.
The texts are pointed, while also subtly humorous—some dance on the edge of absurdity, or even horror. In her works, Svava tackles social issues while also shedding light on our inner lives and creating an enigmatic world that thoroughly captures the reader. Symbolism is prevalent in Svava's work and things are seldom what they seem.
The fact that she recognized her surroundings both amazed and dismayed her. She was convinced she was no longer in Reykjavik, perhaps not even in Iceland, because the wrong bus never travelled the some way as a bus which was on the correct route. The surroundings had been moved and set down somewhere else and the exactness of the relocation did nothing but confirm the evidence; no one showed such precision except to delude.
"A Woman with a Mirror"
Svava
this page online
Svava Jakobsdóttir was a member of parliament (Alþingi) from 1971-1979. She was also Iceland's representative on the Nordic Council and at the United Nations. She was an avid spokesperson for artists and sat on the boards of the Writers' Union of Iceland and the Society of Icelandic Playwrights.
(Icelandic side:)
Fyrsta útgefna bók Svövu er smásagnasafnið 12 konur (1965). Saga eftir hana birtist þó á prenti mun fyrr, timaritinu Líf og list árið 1950. Í smásögum hennar kvað við nýjan tón þar sem innri og ytri veruleika persóna, ekki síst kvenna, er lýst á hárbeittan hátt og oft
sú staóreynd að hún þekkti umhverfió vakti undrun hennar og óhug; hún sannfæraist um hún var ekki lengur í Reykjavík, kannski ekki einu sinni á Íslandi, því aó vitlaus strætisvagn, þræddi aldrei sömu slóð og strætisvagn sem var á réttri leió. Umhverfió hafói verió flutt til og því raóaó einhvers staóar annars staóar og nákvæmnin í uppstillingunni gerói ekki annaó en staófesta þessa vitneskju; svona nákvæmni sýndi enginn nema í blekkingarskyni.
„Kona meó spegil"
Goðsagnaarfur Íslendinga var Svövu hugleikinn. Í skáldsögunni Gunnlaðarsaga (1987) vann hún með goðsöguna um Gunnlöðu, óðin og skáldskaparmjöðinn á nýstárlegan hátt og endurtúlkaai út frá kvenlægu sjónarhorni. Hún fékkst einnig við fræðilegar rannsóknir á bókmenntaarfinum.
Svava
Erected 2015 by Reykjavikurborg.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Government & Politics • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1965.
Location. 64° 8.812′ N, 21° 56.352′ W. Marker is in Reykjavík, Capital Region (Höfuðborgarsvæðið), in Reykjavíkurborg. It is in Centre. It is at the intersection of Pósthússtræti and Kirkjustræti, on the right when traveling south on Pósthússtræti. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Reykjavík, Capital Region 101, Iceland. Touch for directions.
Regionally, it is on the Atlantic Ocean, in the North Atlantic Region, on the Atlantic Arc, in Europe, in Atlantic Europe, in the Nordic Countries, in the Schengen Area, in the Western Hemisphere, and in the Western World.
Other nearby markers. At
More about this marker. The marker is located in the southeast corner of Austurvöllur Park.
Also see . . .
1. Svava Jakobsdóttir. UNESCO "Reykjavik - City of Literature" website entry (Submitted on May 29, 2018.)
2. Svava Jakobsdóttir. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on September 12, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Credits. This page was last revised on September 12, 2022. It was originally submitted on May 29, 2018, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 428 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on May 29, 2018, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
