A review of the work and literary style of the Swedish author, Per Lagerkvist.
This paper discusses how Per Lagerkvist is certainly one of the most important, if not the most dominant, figure in 20th century Swedish literature. Through the review of some of his works, such as “Barabbas” and “The Sybil”, it looks at how his works are often overtly philosophical and deal with many of the most basic themes and experiences that occur to us and that we concurrently experience as the feeling, human agents we are.
“One of Lagerkvist most intriguing and important works is his later novel The Sybil, which was to become the first in a series of works surrounding the journies of a wandering Jew. Indeed, this particular book revolves around a theme that is developed early on, and not unlike in his earlier and more famous work Barabbas, Lagerkvist again draws on his interests in early Christianity and the life and times of Jesus Christ himself, especially in his experience of the crucifixion. In The Sybil the character of the wandering Jew says a few unkind words to a man who is carrying his cross to the site of a crucifixion and, unfortunately for the wandering Jew, the man to whom he has said these words is none other than Jesus Christ, the son of God himself.”