▁journalist , ▁literary ▁critic ▁and ▁theatre ▁critic . ▁ ▁Biography ▁He ▁was ▁born ▁at ▁Over hal la ▁in ▁ ▁Nord - Tr ø nd el ag , ▁Norway . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Christ en ▁Christ ensen ▁El ster ▁( 1 8 0 4 – 1 8 9 1 ) ▁and ▁El en ▁Soph ie ▁Al stru p ▁( 1 8 1 1 – 1 8 8 9 ). ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 3 ▁the ▁family ▁moved ▁to ▁F ør de ▁in ▁S unn f j ord . ▁At ▁age ▁ 1 5 , ▁he ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁Christian ia ▁to ▁attend ▁school . ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 7 , ▁he ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Germany ▁ ▁to ▁receive ▁training ▁as ▁a ▁for ester ▁at ▁Gi essen . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 8 6 9 ▁to ▁ 1 8 7 3 , ▁he ▁lived ▁in ▁Christian ia ▁where ▁he ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁literary ▁and ▁the ater ▁critic . ▁From ▁ 1 8 7 3 , ▁he ▁was ▁employed ▁as ▁a ▁for ester ▁first ▁in ▁Val d res ▁and ▁ ▁then ▁in ▁Tr ond heim ▁where ▁he ▁res ided ▁until ▁he ▁died ▁of ▁p neum onia ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 1 ▁at ▁age ▁ 4 0 . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁married ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 4 ▁to ▁ ▁S anna ▁Fast ing ▁( 1 8 4 5 – 1 9 2 6 ) ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁father ▁of ▁Krist ian ▁El ster ▁the ▁Young er ▁( 1 8 8