Abstract
Otto Sverdrup, born 1854, is one of the main polar explorers in Norway. However he is much less known not only than Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen, but also than Hjalmar Johansen, who was a member of Nansen´s Fram expedition 1893-96, and also lesser known than Eivind Astrup, who took part in two of Robert Peary´s expeditons across northern Greenland in 1891-92 and 1893-94. Hjalmar Johansen and Eivind Astrup published their own accounts from the expeditons: Selv-anden paa 86°14'. Optegnelser fra Den Norske polarfærd 1893-96 (1898) and Blandt Nordpolens naboer (1895). Astrup´s book was reprinted in 1990 and 2004, and Johansen´s book was reprinted in 1942, 1949 and 2003. They are both included in the Polar Library, together with books by Nansen and Amundsen (the Polar Liberary is by Kagge publishing house).Otto Sverdrup´s polar expedition report New Land (Nyt land), a two volume work from 1903, from the second Fram expedition 1898-1902 to north-west Greenland and northern Canada, is in comparison never reprinted. He is not in the Polar library. And his name is among readers of travelogues very much forgotten. Why is this, and what kind of book is New Land?
Highlights
Otto Sverdrup, born 1854, is one of the main polar explorers in Norway
When one compares Nansens account with Sverdrups, the tone of it, the narrative, the figurative language, one comes in doubt whether a book by Sverdrup from this expedition would have been of any public interest
Lets have a look at a passage from Nansens part of the book, from the chapter ”The Winter Night” (Vinternatten): What depth of beauty, with an undercurrent of endless sadness, there is in these dreamily glowing evenings! The vanished sun has left its track of melancholy flame
Summary
Otto Sverdrup, born 1854, is one of the main polar explorers in Norway. he is much less known than Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen, and than Hjalmar Johansen, who was a member of Nansens Fram expedition 1893-96, and lesser known than Eivind Astrup, who took part in two of Robert Pearys expeditons across northern Greenland in 1891-92 and 1893-94. In the book First Crossing of Greenland, which Nansen publised in 1890, Sverdrup is depicted as a reliable and strong man, both physically and psychologically.
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