SCHOULTZ, SOLVEIG VON

(1907-1996)

A Finland-Swedish poet, short story writer, and novelist, von Schoultz wrote about family relationships, human relationships in general, andnature.Her work is in many ways an extension of that of the great Finland-Swedishmodernists Edith SödergranandElmer Diktonius,but von Schoultz early found her own distinctive voice and became one of the great poets writing in Swedish, not only in Finland but in Sweden as well. She had her literary debut with a book written for youngwomen,Petra och silverapan(1932; Petra and the Silver Monkey). Her only novel,December(1937), contains clearly autobiographical elements. The stories inDe sju dagarna: Tva barn skapar sin varld(1942; The Seven Days: Two Children Create Their World) were inspired by the first seven days in the lives of her two daughters, born in 1934 and 1936.

Throughout her career von Schoultz wrote more than 50 stories, some of which were published asIngen dag forgaves(1984; No Day in Vain) andNästa dag(1991; The Next Day). Many of von Sch-oultz's stories deal with the experience of women. The stories inIngenting ovanligt(1947; Nothing Unusual) have as protagonists women who embody three different possibilities for women's lives: an insecure young married woman, a woman whose love has been betrayed by her husband, and awarwidow. Similar themes are found inNärmare nogon(1951; Closer to Somebody), where some of von Schoultz's protagonists are the lover of a married man, an older woman whose husband is close to death, and an unmarried woman who is dealing with her niece. Other collections of stories areDen blomstertid(1958; That Time of Flowers),Aven dina kamelar(1965; Your Camels Too), andRymdbruden(1970; The Space Bride).Many of the short stories inSomliga mornar(1976; Certain Mornings) andKolteckning, ofullbordad(1983; Unfinished Charcoal Drawing) are notable for their depiction of the aging process and the changes in attitude that sometimes accompany that part of life.

It was as a poet, however, that von Schoultz had her greatest impact on Finland-Swedish literature. Starting withMin timme(1940; My Hour), von Schoultz regularly published poetry right up to the end of her life, her final collection beingMolnskuggan(1996; The Shadow of the Cloud). Together with its predecessor,Samtal med en Fjaril(1994; Conversations with a Butterfly), it contains reflections on the process of aging. Generally not formally experimental, von Schoultz's poetry mostly uses free verse and deals with personal experience, particularly withnature. Her breakthrough as a poet came withNattlig aäng(1949; Nocturnal Meadow), and some of her other collections areNätet(1956; The Net),Terrassen(1959; The Terrace),De fyra flojtspelarna(1975; The Four Flautists), andEtt satt att rakna tiden(1989; A Way to Count Time). A selection of her poetry bears the titleAlla tradvantar faglar(1989; All Trees Wait for Birds).

Working many years as a teacher, von Schoultz also wrote a number ofchildren's books.Portratt av Hanna(1978; Portrait of Hanna) is a psychologically penetrating book about her mother, the painter

Hanna Segerstråle, andLangs vattenbrynet(1992; Along the Water's Edge) is a memoir that emphasizes the early part of her life.