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"Niels Lyhne" is a novel written by Danish author Jens Peter Jacobsen in 1880. It is considered a naturalistic work and part of the Modern Breakthrough movement in Scandinavian Realism. While it contains romantic elements, the novel also critiques atheism and faith. The story follows the protagonist, Niels Lyhne, as he renounces his faith, experiences loss, and ultimately faces disillusionment and death. The novel explores themes of individual struggle, artistic expression, and the helplessness of the individual. It is regarded as the first novel to depict the state of mind of the atheistic bourgeois intelligentsia. Rainer Maria Rilke, in "Letters to a Young Poet," praises the novel alongside the Bible as essential reading. "Niels Lyhne" has been translated into English as "Siren Voices" and a more faithful translation is available under the original title. It is considered a precursor to existentialist novels of the mid-20th century.
