Fanget av fortid : tre traumefortellinger av Jon Fosse

Abstract

Focusing on three narratives by Jon Fosse, Naustet (1989), Det er Ales (2004) and Olavs draumar (2012), I argue that a main theme in his work is a recurring concern with human responses to critical experiences of the past. Fosse’s characters often suffer from intrusive images and traumatic memories of shocking and disastrous events, thus being exposed to frequent re-enactments that impair their ability to live normal lives in the present. However, the narrative form is different in the works, and it changes over the years. My close readings are intended to show the diversity of aesthetic approach that characterizes these trauma fictions. The relationship between event, memory and re-presentation is a shared issue of attention in trauma literature and trauma studies. An important aspect of my analysis is exploring the tensions and complexities of this nexus.