MØLLER, POUL MARTIN

(1794-1838)

A Danish novelist and poet, Møller took a degree in theology but was deeply interested in classical literature. Strongly influenced by German idealism, he taught philosophy, first at the University of Christiania (now Oslo) and later at the University of Copenhagen, where his teaching influencedSøren Kierkegaard. In Danish literary history, Møller is remembered chiefly for his unfinished novelEn dansk Students Eventyr(1824; The Adventures of a Danish Student), which is notable both for its psychological portrayal of the characters and its satirical attitude toward some of the excesses of theromantics. It is a precursor for the poeticrealismof the 1840s. Møller's poems were published asScener i Rosenborg Have(1820-1821; published 1855; Scenes from Rosenborg Garden) and are marked by their psychological insight.