This collection of essays by scholars of Nordic literature from around the world is focused on two central themes. The first relates to periods of transition in Nordic writing, the growth of new directions, the turning of a century or a millennium, and investigates phenomena such as fin-de-siecle writing, decadence and millennium myths, ragnarok and apocalypse. The second explores the writing of texts - poetry, prose, drama - and, in particular, ways of beginning and ending a narrative. Among the authors who are subjects for closer study are August Strindberg, Knut Hamsun, J.P.Jacobsen, William Heinesen, Kerstin Ekman, Cora Sandel and Tom Kristensen. This is a multilingual volume, with essays in English, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish.