A Dinner

by Alexander L. Kielland

A Dinner by Alexander Kielland is a sharp and humorous short story that critiques social conventions and class distinctions. The narrative revolves around a formal dinner party where the characters’ behaviors and interactions reveal underlying tensions and pretensions. Kielland uses the setting to explore themes of social status, hypocrisy, and the absurdities of high society, offering a witty reflection on human nature and social norms.

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About the author

Of the most famous realistic writer of the 19th century, Alexander Lange Kielland ranks as one of the "four greats" of Norwegian literature alongside Henrik Ibsen, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, and Jonas Lie.

Born wealthy, he as a factory owner with a sincere affection for the less fortunate treated his workers well. He, a critic of society throughout his time as a writer, spoke for the weak. His best known plays were the satirical comedies Tre Par (1886) and Professoren (1888). He was also well known for his short stories.

Among his most famous works are the novels Gift (1883), Skipper Worse (1882) and Garman & Worse (1880). Gift (published in English as Poison ) is the first of a trilogy including Fortuna (1884) and St. Hans Fest (1887). In this trilogy, Kielland satirizes the hypocrisy of Norway's clergy. In Gift, Kielland debates the preference for Latin that Norwegian teachers had during his time. [wikipedia]