Jón Thoroddsen the elder
Surname Jón Thoroddsen elder (October 5, 1818 – March 8, 1868) was an Icelandic poet and novelist.
Also recorded as Jon Thoroddsen elder
Jón Thoroddsen the elder

Jón Thoroddsen · https: landsbokasafn.is/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0 cntnt01articleid=1237 cntnt01origid=1 cntnt01detailtemplate=LBS_KjorgripurDetail cntnt01returnid=1 · Public domain
- Born
- Jón Thoroddsen the elder was born, sources differ on the date (5 October 1818 and 1 January 1818). · Reykhólar.
- Died
- Jón Thoroddsen the elder died on 8 March 1868.
- Nationality
- Iceland
- Occupation
- writer · poet · landrat
- Education
- University of Copenhagen
- Languages
- Icelandic
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Surname Jón Thoroddsen elder (October 5, 1818 – March 8, 1868) was an Icelandic poet and novelist.
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wikidata · Q835627
In this article
Biography
Biography
He was born at Reykhólar in western Iceland. He studied law at the University of Copenhagen, entered the Danish army as volunteer in 1848 in the war against the insurgents of Schleswig-Holstein, who were aided by Prussia and the other German states (see First Schleswig War). He went back to Iceland in 1850, became sheriff (sýslumaður) of Barðastrandarsýsla, and later in Borgarfjarðarsýsla, where he died in 1868. His son, Þorvaldur Thoroddsen, became a well-known scientist.
Work
Work
He is the first novel writer of Iceland. Jónas Hallgrímsson had led the way by his short stories, but the earliest veritable Icelandic novel was Jón Thóroddsen's Piltur og Stúlka ("Boy and Girl"), a picture of Icelandic country life. Later followed Maður og Kona ("Man and Woman"), published after his death by the Icelandic Literary Society. His poems, mostly satirical, are popular; he follows Jónas Hallgrímsson closely in his style. Thoroddsen's poem "Krummi svaf í klettagjá" makes up the lyrics of a well known folk song in Iceland.
In English
In English
• Lad and Lass, a Story of Life in Iceland, trans. by Arthur Middleton Reeves, London: S. Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, ltd. (1890)
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1818
Jón Thoroddsen the elder born at Reykhólar.
1868
Jón Thoroddsen the elder died.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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