Esaias Tegnér (1782 – 1846).

I first ‘met’ Esaias Tegnér in August 1953 at Rämen Herrgård in east Värmland during
the Richard Hind School cycling/hostelling tour. The then residents, Bertil and Maud
Florin, had been adult helpers with the Lesjöfors School class group that visited London
prior to the coronation of Elizabeth II after their few days at Stockton-on-Tees and visits
to Durham, Whitby and North Yorkshire’s moors.

The Florins were now hosts to some of the boys and proudly showed us the Tegnér
Room, of which they were temporary custodians. There I first gained some awareness of this famous Swede’s story, refreshed on ‘our’ (with my wife) 1958 visit. Tegnér, later a famous Swedish poet and Bishop of Växjö, was the near Säffle, Värmland born son of a priest. It soon became
apparent that Esaias was an avid reader and quick learner. At the age
of 10 his father died. He and his brother were cared for by various
benefactors, in due course that of Christopher (Christoffer) and
Anna Maria Myhrmann at Rämen Herrgården – picture right.
Christopher Myhrmann was the head or patron of the local iron works,
the Rämen bruk. [The bruk was a unique form of industrial settlement
and organisation in Sweden’s countryside and the patron was a sort
of chieftain!] It was here that Esaias’s elder brother Lars Gustaf
worked as an assistant to Myhrmann. Esaias became a teenage tutor
to the younger Myhrmann children, including Anna the youngest
daughter. They became friends and playmates.

He went to Lund University at 17 years of age, sponsored by Myhrmann, graduated and then gained his doctorate at a very young age. In 1806 he married his childhood friend Anna and his previously gloomy outlook changed to become brighter and happier. Long before that he had written:
"You whose divine image I carry in my heart for ever, You who offer me a heaven even here on earth".

In 1812 he was chosen to be professor of Greek at Lund and there followed some happy years. His poetry blossomed. He became regarded as the most popular of Swedish romantic poets. His militantly anti-Russian but proudly patriotic Svea (1811) and Axel (1821) were later followed by his great Frithjof’s Saga (1820-25). This is based on collections of Scandinavian sagas and it is thought to be the masterpiece of the Swedish Gothic tradition. In 1818 he was called to leadership in the Swedish Academy following on from Oxenstierna.

6 years later he was nominated as Bishop of Växjö. His speeches and sermons are classics of the Swedish language. Having been an optimistic nationalist and liberal in his younger days he later went through melancholy and conservative periods. He seemed to experience periods of deep depression.

It was in Växjö that we renewed acquaintance with Esaias. His grave is in the Tegnér Churchyard - Tegnérkyrkogård.