Adda Ravnkilde

Adele Marie "Adda" Ravnkilde (30 July 1862 – 30 November 1883) was a Danish writer who experienced a bitter conflict between her desire to accomplish creative work and the attraction of erotic love. When she was just 21, she committed suicide, leaving three manuscripts which were edited and/or shortened by her friend and advisor George Brandes or by the author Erik Skram. On publication in 1884, all three proved to be highly successful, making Ravnkilde one of Denmark's main precursors of modern women's literature.

Biography Born in Sakskøbing on 30 July 1862, Adele Marie Ravnkilde was the daughter of the county clerk Christian Claudius Ravnkilde (1835–1896) and his wife Margrethe Catinka Vilhelmine née Bruun (1835–1912).

Publications Three manuscripts of novels were left after her death. Under the leadership of Georg Brandes, whom she had consulted on her writings, they were edited and considerably shortened with the help of Martinus Galschiøt and Erik Skram. Judith Fürste was published early in 1884 and was reprinted in the autumn. Her two other stories, En Pyrrhussejr and Tantaluskvaler (The Anguish of Tantalus) were published together in December 1884 as To Fortællinger.