ABSTRACT
Traditionally, Norway has not been seen as belonging to the avant-garde in matters of culture. The history of Norwegian modernism and the avant-garde has thus been a story of periphery versus center, outriders versus elite. Despite of its long history, Norway is actually a young state. But socially, post-war Norway was a conservative society where life was regulated by family values, religion, and traditional norms. The comparatively late translations have been an important influence in Norwegian literature, both stylistically and also substantially when it comes to theme and focus. The clearest example of a Norwegian writer who emulates Beat style writing is Axel Jensen in his road novel Ikaros: ung mann i Sahara. Much of Kate Naess's own poetry and her translations of Beat literature were performed at Club 7, the bohemian club par excellence of post-war Oslo.
