Olaf Jacob Martin Luther Breda Bull

Olaf Bull was a Norwegian poet who was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature six times. He was born in Kristiania (now Oslo) in 1883, as the son of a popular author and a Swedish woman. He studied literature, philosophy, history, politics, art and science at the university, and became a journalist for several newspapers. He traveled extensively in Europe, especially in Italy and France, where he met his third wife and had his son, who also became a poet. Bull was known for his lyrical and expressive poems, which often dealt with themes such as love, sorrow, death, and the transience of life. He used fixed stanza patterns and rich imagery, and was influenced by both classical and modernist poets. Some of his most famous poems include "Metope", "Solveigs sang", "Vinden og månen", and "Mitt hjerte". He also wrote essays, short stories, and a novel. Bull suffered from alcoholism, depression, and various physical ailments, which affected his personal and professional life. He died in 1933 at the age of 49, after a long period of illness. He was buried at Vår Frelsers gravlund in Oslo, where his grave is marked by a statue of a bull. Bull is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential poets in Norwegian literature, and his works have been translated into many languages.