Misery punctum: a translation of Tor Ulven’s Consumption

Tor Ulven (1953-1995) was a Norwegian writer of 11 books. His work inspired a generation of Norwegian writers at the end of the 20th century. Known for his high level of precision and his discerning sensitivity, translating Tor Ulven represents a task of the tallest order for any translator of Norwegian. In this thesis, I offer a full translation of his book Fortaering: Prosastykker, here as Consumption: Prose Pieces. In my critical introduction, I trace my journey discovering Tor Ulven, his reception in Norway, compare his work to the great American writer Garielle Lutz, explain and demonstrate my theoretical framework for understanding translating Tor Ulven. Central to that framework is Roland Barthes’ punctum, useful for understanding the photographic qualities that characterize the prose pieces in Consumption. Beyond Tor Ulven himself, a major goal in my introduction is to celebrate the work of depressive writers of merciless realism. I see American parallels to Tor Ulven in the work of writers like Lorine Niedecker, Christine Schutt, and Garielle Lutz. I believe that Tor Ulven is a writer of the greatest caliber and that my translation shows exactly that.