Knut Hamsun

About Knut Hamsun

Knut Hamsun (1859–1952) was a Norwegian author whose profound influence on literature earned him the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1920. His ranking at #956 on the Pantheon Index reflects his historical importance, largely derived from seminal works like Hunger (Sult), which pioneered modernist literary techniques and deeply explored the human psyche and societal alienation of his era. His national status, however, is complicated by his later, notorious public support for the Nazi regime during World War II.

Despite this historical weight, Hamsun's modern digital footprint suggests a significant attention gap. His Wikipedia page accrued an annualized 128K views in 2025, placing him at a -2x underattention ratio relative to his historical importance. To provide context, this view count is notably lower than that of W. Somerset Maugham, another celebrated writer ranked only slightly lower in historical importance at #977, yet who garnered 417K views in the same period. Hamsun's relative digital visibility appears disproportionately small compared to his established historical standing, though his +8.9% year-over-year growth suggests a slight, albeit slow, resurgence in contemporary interest.