Abstract
In Hamsun’s novel Pan, Lieutenant Glahn holds an essentialist notion of masculinity that is somewhat outdated in the context of emerging Norwegian modernity. His acts of violence, which are performative of his male pride, not only bring harm to others, but also become destructive to himself. The masculinity crisis enacted in Pan is put into the context of the social, historical, and cultural changes related to gender and modernity that occurred during the end of the 19th century in Norway and beyond.
Highlights
The wen-wu paradigm, which is mainly used to analyze the dynamic power that shapes the history of Chinese masculinity, may be useful for us to understand the inevitable transformations of ideal manhood in turn-of-the-century Norwegian society that Glahn fails to recognize, or is perhaps unwilling to accept
Glahn’s death is his last attempt to defend his masculine pride. This is reminiscent of the death of the Lieutenant in Strindberg’s Father (1887). Both works suggest that the traditional notions of masculinity, which have been challenged by social transformations that affect gender relations, prove to be both harmful to women and restraining and destructive to men themselves
When small conflicts make him feel vulnerable, he can only react by becoming upset or desperate. His death suggests that he is not able to adapt to social changes. His notions of ideal manhood seem outdated in an age when women play a more and more important role, and there are different types of masculinity competing for attention and dominance
Summary
It is generally acknowledged that Hamsun’s Pan tells a tragic story about the romantic love between Glahn and Edvarda; the cause of the tragedy in this novel is not found. The main questions that will be discussed in the following article include: What kinds of conflicts take place between Glahn and the other male competitors in their relationship with Edvarda?
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