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The Labyrinth
'This travel book is truly a labyrinth--or, more precisely, a piece of the labyrinth that it has been my fate to wander, from the cradle to the grave.'
Jens Baggesen's The Labyrinth (1792-93) is a genre-bending and highly personal travel book that follows the young Danish author's journey, made in 1789, from Copenhagen through Germany to the Swiss border at Basel. In its outer form, it follows the conventions of travel describing the cities, landscapes, and notable people encountered on the route, while also offering critical commentary on art, architecture, theatre, and literature, mixed with reactions to the unfolding French Revolution. However, Baggesen finds contemporary travel writing to be pedantic and dry and is determined to make his own account as engaging and personal as possible. Based on the principle that 'nothing is more necessary in a volume of travels than a traveller', the narrative eschews a focus on prescribed sights and instead foregrounds his individual responses to the places and people he encounters. Baggesen's account of his journey is not simply sentimental, but rather moves through an array of different, often conflicting affective and intellectual from dejection to wit, whimsy, and ebullient joy, including enchanted observations of nature as well as cosmopolitan reveries about the brotherhood of nations. Similarly, the prose style of the book---always acknowledged as a key feature--is determinedly eclectic. A richly varied compendium of literary styles, attitudes, and philosophical ideas, brought to life in a new English translation by Jesper Gulddal, The Labyrinth offers a rare glimpse into the mind of an endlessly thinking, feeling, and imagining traveller at a pivotal moment in European history.
ABOUT THE For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
Jens Baggesen's The Labyrinth (1792-93) is a genre-bending and highly personal travel book that follows the young Danish author's journey, made in 1789, from Copenhagen through Germany to the Swiss border at Basel. In its outer form, it follows the conventions of travel describing the cities, landscapes, and notable people encountered on the route, while also offering critical commentary on art, architecture, theatre, and literature, mixed with reactions to the unfolding French Revolution. However, Baggesen finds contemporary travel writing to be pedantic and dry and is determined to make his own account as engaging and personal as possible. Based on the principle that 'nothing is more necessary in a volume of travels than a traveller', the narrative eschews a focus on prescribed sights and instead foregrounds his individual responses to the places and people he encounters. Baggesen's account of his journey is not simply sentimental, but rather moves through an array of different, often conflicting affective and intellectual from dejection to wit, whimsy, and ebullient joy, including enchanted observations of nature as well as cosmopolitan reveries about the brotherhood of nations. Similarly, the prose style of the book---always acknowledged as a key feature--is determinedly eclectic. A richly varied compendium of literary styles, attitudes, and philosophical ideas, brought to life in a new English translation by Jesper Gulddal, The Labyrinth offers a rare glimpse into the mind of an endlessly thinking, feeling, and imagining traveller at a pivotal moment in European history.
ABOUT THE For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1986
About the author
Jens Baggesen
155 books4 followersJens Immanuel Baggesen
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jens_Ba...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jens_Ba...
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 7, 2016
Interesting perifial view of the French revolution. And fun to look inside the head of my great-great-great-great grandfather. :)
November 7, 2022
“jeg er fuld, og du er fuld, vi er alle fulde”
Sådan lyder der i slutsangen til Jens Baggessens mesterlige rejseroman “Labyrinten”. Og Åhhh hvor man beruses i denne bog.
Sproget er vidunderligt, kringlet, rigt, finurligt, et primaeksempel på det danske i fuld flor.
Man følger i bogen Jens Baggesens rejse fra København til Strasbourg og overøses undervejs med forfatterens mange morsomme betragtninger om livet i slut-1700-tallets Europa.
Det er et værk, der ånder i mellemrummet mellem oplysning og romantik. Baggesen er humanist, glædes ved nyheden om revolutionen i Frankrig, fornægter kirken, og forarges af Jødernes elendige levevilkår i Frankfurt. Alene på grund af bogens idehistoriske og lebensmæssige betragtninger er den værd at læse.
Men først og fremmest er den sjov! Hylende morsom faktisk! Man klukler når Baggesen styrter rundt i det (allerede dengang) overbureaukratiserede København for at få fornyet sit pas, når han diskuterer afføringens lyksaligheder, går på damejagt og driller både tyskere og franskmænd, ja næsten hver enkelt sætning gives med et lille glimt i øjet.
Slutningen, den kendte opstigning i Domkirken i Strasbourg er et kapitel for sig selv. Sjældent har jeg læst noget vildere!! Altså jeg nåede at blive decideret svimmel, inden Baggesen dumdristigt når det øverste spir og kan stirre ned på myremenneskene under sig.
En underkendt klassiker i dansk litteratur, der bør læses meget mere.
Ps: Leif Ludwig Albertsens efterskrift er røvsygt og bør ikke læses
Sådan lyder der i slutsangen til Jens Baggessens mesterlige rejseroman “Labyrinten”. Og Åhhh hvor man beruses i denne bog.
Sproget er vidunderligt, kringlet, rigt, finurligt, et primaeksempel på det danske i fuld flor.
Man følger i bogen Jens Baggesens rejse fra København til Strasbourg og overøses undervejs med forfatterens mange morsomme betragtninger om livet i slut-1700-tallets Europa.
Det er et værk, der ånder i mellemrummet mellem oplysning og romantik. Baggesen er humanist, glædes ved nyheden om revolutionen i Frankrig, fornægter kirken, og forarges af Jødernes elendige levevilkår i Frankfurt. Alene på grund af bogens idehistoriske og lebensmæssige betragtninger er den værd at læse.
Men først og fremmest er den sjov! Hylende morsom faktisk! Man klukler når Baggesen styrter rundt i det (allerede dengang) overbureaukratiserede København for at få fornyet sit pas, når han diskuterer afføringens lyksaligheder, går på damejagt og driller både tyskere og franskmænd, ja næsten hver enkelt sætning gives med et lille glimt i øjet.
Slutningen, den kendte opstigning i Domkirken i Strasbourg er et kapitel for sig selv. Sjældent har jeg læst noget vildere!! Altså jeg nåede at blive decideret svimmel, inden Baggesen dumdristigt når det øverste spir og kan stirre ned på myremenneskene under sig.
En underkendt klassiker i dansk litteratur, der bør læses meget mere.
Ps: Leif Ludwig Albertsens efterskrift er røvsygt og bør ikke læses
July 2, 2018
Det var min 2. gennemlæsning af dette på mange måder ret fantastiske værk - og i dansk litteratur lidt enestående. Det er en mærkelig blanding af dannelsesroman, dagbogs-roman (bekendelseslitteratur), brev-roman, essay og digt.
Baggessen besøger tyske byer og celebrities og reflekterer over stort og småt. Af og til rammer man en kedelig passage og somme tider finder man en diamant - det virker lidt rodet, op og ned- det hele, det er som titlen siger en slags labyrint, men den er uden tvivl værd at gennemvandre (uh hvor lyder det klichefyldt, der er sikkert tusind andre der har sagt det her før mig).
Derudover er den et fint indblik i tiden (præ-romantikken, den franske revolution) og man kan ikke andet end være misundelig på Baggesen der oplever sin ungdom som optakt til romantikken og kan vandre og begejstres af bjerge, natur, byer alt på den måde han gør - jeg vil kalde det et romantisk værk med en smule af oplysningstiden, og ja det er selvfølgelig fiktion, fordi Baggesen er bevidst om sin læser hele vejen igennem, men det er på mange måder en perfekt illusion :)
Der er nok ikke mange der læser hele værket længere, men man bør læse mindst et par kapitler!
Baggessen besøger tyske byer og celebrities og reflekterer over stort og småt. Af og til rammer man en kedelig passage og somme tider finder man en diamant - det virker lidt rodet, op og ned- det hele, det er som titlen siger en slags labyrint, men den er uden tvivl værd at gennemvandre (uh hvor lyder det klichefyldt, der er sikkert tusind andre der har sagt det her før mig).
Derudover er den et fint indblik i tiden (præ-romantikken, den franske revolution) og man kan ikke andet end være misundelig på Baggesen der oplever sin ungdom som optakt til romantikken og kan vandre og begejstres af bjerge, natur, byer alt på den måde han gør - jeg vil kalde det et romantisk værk med en smule af oplysningstiden, og ja det er selvfølgelig fiktion, fordi Baggesen er bevidst om sin læser hele vejen igennem, men det er på mange måder en perfekt illusion :)
Der er nok ikke mange der læser hele værket længere, men man bør læse mindst et par kapitler!
February 1, 2026
This book was well written for its time and narrative glad I read it but references to things are outdated but it's expected for the writer of the time but definitely good but past references still not excused.
May 22, 2022
Johannes Ewald og Jens Baggesen - to forfattere, der også sagtens kunne indrulleres i en udvidet litterær kanon anno 2022 ... hvis de altså blot hed Johanne og Jensine til fornavn.
January 9, 2026
I have read a LOT of old travel diaries over the years because they figured into my dissertation research, so I don’t say this lightly: This is by far the best travel narrative I have ever read.
You could hardly do better for a travel guide than Jens Baggesen, a Danish writer who took a slightly unconventional route on his Grand Tour, the result being this delightful and hilarious adventure.
Baggesen is truly funny in a way that translates across both language and time, and he has exactly the sort of mostly irreverent, at times slightly exasperated approach that one needs in a guide of this sort. Think of him as a kind of real world Alice in Wonderland, blithely exploring unfamiliar (to him) parts of Europe well before fictional Alice stumbled into Wonderland.
The fact that Baggesen didn’t follow the traditional Grand Tour route made this all the more interesting, giving us a travelers’ perspective on a lot of locales not typically included in most tourists’ accounts during this era.
Baggesen is certainly a likable fellow, well ahead of his time in his thinking about topics like slavery and antisemitism. But mostly he’s just an exceptionally good hang, a clever and detail-oriented observer and a truly funny cataloguer of things both wondrous and absurd.
It’s not often that I wish a book was longer (especially one that wasn’t exactly short to begin with), but I could have happily absorbed about twice as much as what’s on offer here. Ah Jens, how I would have adored vacationing with you. You would have absolutely loved Disney World.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
You could hardly do better for a travel guide than Jens Baggesen, a Danish writer who took a slightly unconventional route on his Grand Tour, the result being this delightful and hilarious adventure.
Baggesen is truly funny in a way that translates across both language and time, and he has exactly the sort of mostly irreverent, at times slightly exasperated approach that one needs in a guide of this sort. Think of him as a kind of real world Alice in Wonderland, blithely exploring unfamiliar (to him) parts of Europe well before fictional Alice stumbled into Wonderland.
The fact that Baggesen didn’t follow the traditional Grand Tour route made this all the more interesting, giving us a travelers’ perspective on a lot of locales not typically included in most tourists’ accounts during this era.
Baggesen is certainly a likable fellow, well ahead of his time in his thinking about topics like slavery and antisemitism. But mostly he’s just an exceptionally good hang, a clever and detail-oriented observer and a truly funny cataloguer of things both wondrous and absurd.
It’s not often that I wish a book was longer (especially one that wasn’t exactly short to begin with), but I could have happily absorbed about twice as much as what’s on offer here. Ah Jens, how I would have adored vacationing with you. You would have absolutely loved Disney World.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
January 12, 2026
I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an audio ARC.
This was a pretty good read. I enjoyed the narrator of this one. The writing style of this book was interesting and thought provoking. This was also the first time I've read a travel journal book, so this was a new experience to me. I thought it was really interesting to listen to the thoughts of someone else traveling and what they viewed as important.
This was a pretty good read. I enjoyed the narrator of this one. The writing style of this book was interesting and thought provoking. This was also the first time I've read a travel journal book, so this was a new experience to me. I thought it was really interesting to listen to the thoughts of someone else traveling and what they viewed as important.
bøgernes-verden
October 22, 2018Europa
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews