The 1890s were marked by a reaction against the positivism and social writing of the previous decade. New writing of this period was characterised by a more subjective and introverted style including strong tendencies towards decadence, mystique and postreligious allusions, all components of new Romanticism. Gradually the focus moved away from social criticism to the subconscious, and lyric poetry once again became a literary genre. Uproar attended the publication in 1890 of Sult ('Hunger'), the stream-of-consciousness debut work by Knut Hamsun (1859-1952) who was to play an important role in the history of the modern novel. His less extreme later works achieved success in Europe and in 1920 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Markens grøde ('Growth of the Soil').

More radically-orientated with their lyrical writing were Wilhelm Krag (1871-1933) and Sigbjørn Obstfelder (1866-1990). Obstfelder is regarded the first modern lyricist, whose work expresses a sense of fin de siècle. The years following 1905 belong to the social historical novel. Olav Duun (1876-1939) combined psychological motives with description of social life in a series of novels culminating in Juvifolke ('The People of Juvik', 1918-23).

Sigrid Undset (1882-1949) wrote a number of contemporary novels in which she depicts the world of middle-class women, with a gradually increasing focus on the religious dimension. She was awarded the Noble Prize for the Catholic-inspired triology Kristin Lavransdatter (1920-1922), set in medieval Norway. Also noteworthy are Kristofer Uppdal (1878-1961), whose 10-volume novel Dansen gjennom skuggeheimen ('The Dance through the Shadow Land', 1922-1924) describes the development of the working class, and Johan Falkeberget (1879-1967) a former miner whose novels depict life in the mining community around the copper mines of Røros.

Lyrical poetry also flourished at this time with the work of Herman Wildenvey (1886-1959), Arnulf Øverland (1889-1968) and Olaf Bull (1883-1993), representing poetry written in Bokmål ('Book Language'), whereas the New Norwegian poets of the period were Olav Aukrust (1883-1929), Olav Nygaard (1884-1924) and Tore Ørjasœter (1886-1968). The most prominent lyricist of the working class during this period was Rudolf Nilsen (1901-1929).

Norwegian literature of the period between the two wars reflected the influence of psychoanalysis and Marxism and during this period the literary community became split between the radicals and the idealistic Christian conservatives. Sigur Hoel (1890-1960) was the editor of Den gule serie ('The Yellow Features'), which introduced contemporary trends in American, French and English literature to Norwegian writers. Other ‘radicals’ included Danish-born Aksel Sandemose (1899-1965) with his experimental novels and essays, and Gunnar Larsen (1900-1958).

Ronald Fangen (1895-1946), Sigurd Christiansen (1891-1947) and Cora Sandel (1880-1974) formed the more conservative group. Sandel’s Albertine trilogy (1926-1939) was one of the few significant Norwegian novels from the period which also had an international setting. The most prominent from this period were Helge Krogh (1899-1962), who took up the Ibsen inheritance, and the Marxist-inspired Nordahl Grieg (1902-1943). Also noteworthy is Halldis Moren Vesaas (1907-1995), who attracted attention for her new way of bringing the experience of women into Norwegian poetry and also translated a number of major works of world literature. Aslaug Vaa (1889-1965) and Rolf Jacobsen (1907-1994) also made major lyrical contributions.