Niels Lyhne · Theme

Individualism vs. Conformity

How Niels Lyhne develops Individualism vs. Conformity.

Niels Lyhne's desire to be an exceptional, heroic individual clashes with the mundane expectations of society, family, and conventional life, leading to a sense of alienation and a recurring temptation to sink into the 'common herd.'

Where it surfaces

Chapter IV
Niels chooses to see with his own eyes and form himself by his own will, separating from the beliefs of others.
VIII
Niels rejects the dogmatic systems of his peers, like Frithjof, and asserts his own unique artistic path, leading to isolation.