Ekelöf

Gunnar Ekelöf (1907–1968) was a Swedish poet and a central figure in 20th-century Swedish literature. He is regarded as one of Sweden’s most influential modern poets, noted for shaping the direction of contemporary Swedish verse.

Ekelöf's career began in the interwar period, with early poetry rooted in traditional forms and social observation. In the 1940s his work moved toward experimental, surreal, and philosophical writing. His 1944 collection Svarta torn is widely regarded as a turning point, marking a shift to long, narrative and prose-poem forms that blend imagery with inquiry.

Across his body of work, Ekelöf combined introspection with linguistic play and a keen social sensibility. He frequently employed fragmentation, an ironic tone, and a sense of estrangement to explore questions of identity, power, and the nature of art. His poetry often traverses themes of memory, alienation, and the limits of language.

Ekelöf's influence extended beyond Sweden. His work has been translated into many languages, and he is cited as a major influence on later generations of poets in Scandinavia and beyond. He is associated with modernist experimentation and the European tropes of surrealism and existential reflection, adapted to a Swedish poetic idiom.

He died in 1968, leaving a lasting impact on Swedish poetic modernism and on the broader development of postwar European poetry.