Lugn, Kristina

(1948-)

   A Swedish poet and dramatist, Lugn is also one of Sweden's foremost postmodern writers as well as a feminist critic of social conditions and observer of the roles of women. A master of irony, parody, and pastiche, she had her debut with the poetry collection Om jag inte (1972; If I Didn t), which features as its speaker a middle-aged Swedish woman who dies of loneliness. Lugn s next volume of poetry, Till min man, om han kunde laisa (1976; To My Husband, IfHe Were Able to Read), introduces one of Lugn s favorite literary motifs, violent death. The woman speaker talks about shooting her husband, but it is unclear whether she has actually done it or ifit is just a fantasy on her part, as the husband of the title could simply be illiterate. Two more poetry collections, Doda honom! (1978; Kill Him!) and Om ni hor et skott. . . (1979; If You Happen to Hear a Shot. . .), take the idea of murder to the next level, as it is shown to be generally present as a possibility in Swedish middle-class, consumerist, and claustrophobic life.

   The alienation of contemporary life in Sweden is also presented in Percy Wennerfors (1982), a book of poems that parodies well-known fairy tales as it presents a little girl who resists her female role by communicating through animal noises. Bekantskap onskas med aldre bildad herre (1983; Seeking an Older, Cultivated Man) presents an unnamed woman who is desperately looking for a man who can rescue her from her quotidian existence, and the theme of alienation is further emphasized in the prize-winning Hundstunden: Kvinnlig be-kannelseslyrik (1989; The Dog Hour: Female Confessional Poetry).

   The year 1979 marked Lugn s debut as a dramatist, and she has been a strong and very visible presence in Swedish theater ever since. Her plays tend to be brief, with few characters and a minimalist dialogue that is nevertheless pregnant with meaning. In addition to having had several unpublished pieces performed, Lung is particularly well known for Idlaflickorna (1993; tr. The Old Girls, 1995), and Tant Blomma (1993; tr. Aunt Blossom, 1995). The former illustrates the instability of female identity in modern Swedish society, while the latter is a study in the absurdity ofmodern life. Nattorienterarna (1998; Night Orienteers) is a study ofloss in general and bereavement in particular.