Franzén, Frans Mikael

▪ Finnish-Swedish poet

born Feb. 9, 1772, Uleåborg, Swedish Finland [now Oulu, Fin.]

died Aug. 14, 1847, Härnösand, Sweden

 Finnish-Swedish poet, educator, and cleric who was a forerunner of the Romantic movement in Sweden.

      Franzén studied at Åbo, Fin., where in 1798 he became professor of philosophy. After the annexation of Finland by Russia, Franzén went to Sweden (1811). In 1831 he was appointed bishop of Härnösand, where he lived until his death.

      Franzén was a master of a new poetic style in Swedish literature. William Shakespeare, John Milton, and Thomas Gray made a deep impression on him. His work consists chiefly of simple, idyllic lyrics, and his best poems embody the imaginative spirit of the Romantic era.

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