Trilogy by JON FOSSE

 rilogy by JON FOSSE

Translated by May -Brit Akerholt

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Wakefulness

Asle and Alida 

"Asle and Alida were wandering the streets of Bjørgvin." Page 3

"It's late autumn, it's dark and cold, and soon it might start to rain as well - we have to have somewhere to live, she said" page 4 and 8

Olav's Dreams 

Olav and Åsta

where are we going, Alida says

I don't know, Asle says

we'll go to where we end up, she says     We'll go where the road leads us, he says

Page 85

with the finest bracelet in his hand, in the yellowest gold with the bluest of blue pearls,

She's standing there half hidden behind the curtain.

weariness

ˈwirēnəs

Fghjb B jjggfdd

"I saw them hanging him and I saw him hanging there, he says

and Alida thinks that she and Asle are still sweethearts, they are with each other, he is with her, she with him, she

in him, he in her, Alida thinks, and she looks out across the sea, and in the sky she sees Asle, she sees that the sky is Asle, and she notices the wind, and the wind is Asle, he

is there, he is the wind, if he doesn't exist, he is still there and then she hears Asle saying that he is there, she sees him there, if she looks out across the sea she'll see that he is the sky she sees there above the sea, Asle says, and Alida looks and of course she sees Asle, but not just him, she sees herself too there in the sky and Asle says that he too exists in her and in little Sigvald and Alida says that yes he does, he always will and Alida thinks that now Asle is alive only in her and in little Sigvald, now she is Asle in life, Alida thinks, and then she hears Asle saying I am there, I am with you, I am always with you, so don't be afraid, I will follow you, Asle says, and Alida looks out to the sea and there, on the sky there, she sees his face, she sees it like an invisible sun, and then she sees his hand, it lifts up and it waves to her and Asle repeats that she must not be afraid and he says that she must take good care of herself and little Sigvald, she must look after herself and little Sigvald as best as she can, and then, before too long, then they'll meet again before too long, Aslesays, and Alida feels his body close to hers and she feels his hand stroking her hair and she strokes his hair" page 152-3

"Ales thinks, and Alida looks at Ales and she thinks that she notices that she is there, of course she does, and perhaps she is tormenting her daughter by being there, and she doesn't want that, why would she want to tor-ment her own daughter, she doesn't want to torment her own daughter at all, her, her good daughter,  her oldest daughter, " page 169-170

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Vika     Dylgja       Bjørgvin 

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So far, four Norwegian writers have won the Nobel Prize in Literature:

Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson – won in 1903.

Knut Hamsun – won in 1920.

Sigrid Undset – won in 1928.

Jon Fosse – won in 2023.

Åsta, Norway

here are some interesting and distinctive facts about Jon Fosse, beyond just the Nobel Prize:

Minimalist style: Fosse is famous for writing with very simple words, lots of repetition, pauses, and silence. What is not said is often more important than what is said.

“Fossean” rhythm: His prose and drama have a musical, hypnotic rhythm, influenced by prayer, breathing, and waves. Many readers say his texts feel like listening rather than reading.

Writes in Nynorsk: He writes in Nynorsk, a minority written form of Norwegian. This was a cultural and political statement, helping raise its literary status.

Deeply spiritual (but not religious propaganda): Although he converted to Catholicism later in life, his work explores faith, doubt, death, and grace in a quiet, non-preaching way.

More famous as a playwright (at first): Before his novels became widely known, Fosse was one of the most performed living playwrights in the world, especially in Europe.

Influenced by Samuel Beckett: Like Beckett, he focuses on waiting, repetition, loneliness, and stripped-down language—but Fosse is warmer and more emotional.