AGE

[Wergeland] did not become an old man who sat and made himself disgusting to his surroundings in his old age. It was a gift to him from the gods, a grace to him from the gods. And neither did he slide down to the relaxation in his production that might lead to a St. Olav or some other fine recognition, at least he did not live old enough for that; no, he died young. (“Wergeland”, speech on Henrik Wergeland’s centenary, 17 June 1908)

Hamsun feared old age, which he believed meant both physical and mental deterioration.

His depictions of the elderly are often stark, while also depicting the social degradation that old age can bring. An example of this is found in Hunger (1890), where the innkeeper's old, lame and mute father witnesses his daughter's promiscuous behavior. Another example is the repulsive portrayal of Mons and Fredrik Mensa in Benon i (1908).

Hamsun, who himself lived to be over 90 years old, wrote about Bjørnson on the occasion of their disagreement over the Liberal Party's unification policy: "You have become old, master, that's the thing. And I wish you hadn't become old!"