Talk:Martin Andersen Nexø

"first author"

I'm confused about this:

"He is the first author writing about the working class."

...Does this mean the first Danish author to do so? The first European? The first dude, ever, on the planet? Whatever it means, it should have a source to back it up. Jessicapierce 14:51, 15 March 2007 (UTC)

I have copy-edited the article to consolidate some text and put the text, as much as possible, in historical order.

Charles Dickens wrote some literary masterpieces depicting the British working class, and he can't be ignored even if he isn't a Marxist (having been an active and successful author before before Karl Marx became influential in radical circles).

I did this copy-editing without a full knowledge of any obscure Danish writers who might have existed before him... but clearly Nexø is the first Danish writer to have gained an international reputation for his depiction of proletarian life, a necessary qualification that I have added.

I have removed the prediction that his reputation "would deteriorate" after the fall of Communism. Predictions of the popularity of an author are not within the scope of Wikipedia. Nothing says that Marxism will not be revived; likewise, Nexø's literary reputation will have to stand upon his merits as a writer instead of upon the official support of a government, as is true of any creative person. Readers who might not share his Marxist views might consider his work worthy of reading and adaptation.--Paul from Michigan 10:58, 21 September 2007 (UTC)

Martin Andersen was not the first writer in denmark to write about the working class. there is lot's of other and his greatest work Pelle the Conquer is dedicated to Henrik Pontobidan, who described the common man and working class before Martin Andersen Nexø. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.80.136.138 (talk) 17:59, 18 September 2008 (UTC)

Although the previous message had a few spelling and grammatical mistakes, it raises a good point, and a irrefutable one at that. There were plenty of known writers who wrote on the lower classes before Nexø, like Pontoppidan, and several who also gained international recognition. Nexø was in no way deserving of the title of "the first author writing about the working class" under any circumstances, and since nobody has proven otherwise in the past 11 years since this discussion took place, I see it fit to simply delete statement.Theodore Schultz Iversdale (talk) 13:02, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

I also removed the mention of him as a merchant, as I can see no mention of this in the article nor the Danish article and no citation that supports it.Theodore Schultz Iversdale (talk) 13:34, 23 April 2019 (UTC)