Knut Hamsuns Sult på scenen

Abstract

The article addresses the issue of adaptation and deals with four scenic versions of Knut Hamsun's Hunger. The theoretical discussion reflects on the difficulties of dramatization and the intricate narrative technique in Hamsun's novel. Based on modern adaptation theory that no longer insists on the premise of the original novel, four different scenic versions are analysed based on how the narrative voice, the urban environment, the people and the artist's existence have been translated from the novel's medium into drama. In the article I comment on the selected Hunger adaptations. The analysis shows that most adaptations are interested in shaping the Hunger hero's inner monologue on stage. On the other hand, the writer’s block and the hero's wandering in the big city, that are such central motifs in the novel, are not always emphasized. The overall purpose of the article is to raise the academic attention on the numerous dramatizations of Hamsun's novels.