EKELUND, Jakob. Valla, Bohuslän 17.12.1790 — Stockholm 6.12.1840. Swedish Teacher and Historian interested in India. Son of Johannes E., a curate, and Anna Maria Blixt, educated in Göteborg. Studies from 1811 at Lund, where fil.mag. 1814. Then at Uppsala, where theol.kand. 1818 and ordained as priest. From 1821 worked as a priest and teacher at Klara school in Stockholm, wrote schoolbooks. Stern home and early invalidisation had developed a difficult character, and he had often problems with other people. At the same time, he was talented and had a good memory, and therefore appreciated as a teacher of history. In 1835 he became insane and had to retire. Died in a hospital. Married 1826 Sophie Engberg, one daughter.
Ekelund’s Śakuntalā was founded on Jones’ and Forster’s versions and is, according to Charpentier, not even literarily good. As an introduction to it he wrote an account of Indian life, mythology, etc., which is said to be full of errors.
Publications: Schoolbooks of history, translations from English (Gibbon, Scott, Irving) and German, e.g. K, Gutzlaff’s Nyaste underrättelser om Östra Indien och China. 96 p. Stockholm 1836 (on Thailand and China); A. H. L. Heeren’s Handbok uti gamla staternas historia. 12+506 p. Strengnäs 1817; and Fr. Schlegel’s Lifvets philosophi. 28+452 p. Stockholm 1834.
– Sakontala: ett Indiskt dramatiskt Poem af Kalidas (efter Jones och Forster). 48+171 p. Stockholm 1821.
Sources: Charpentier, “Indol. studier i Sverige”, Sv. Orientsällsk. Årsbok 1924; Svenskt biografiskt handlexikon 3, 1906, 285 with small portrait; Swedish Wikipedia.
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