Viking Magazine - March 2021 - 29

Hustru " (The Faithful Wife) was
published.
As she neared 40, she set
about writing a novel based in
18th-century Scandinavia called
" Madame Dorthea. " It was
released in 1939, but after the onset
of World War II and the death of
her daughter from illness shortly
before the war began, her creativity
withered and a planned follow-up
volume never took shape.
Nine recipients of the Nobel Prize gather for an anniversary dinner in 1941. Sigrid Undset
is pictured in the front row, center.
She settled into her new oasis and
commenced working on her newest
novel, " Kristin Lavransdatter. "
It was set in the historical period
she'd struggled to write about as
a 22-year-old just starting out. By
now, after years of research, learning
and traveling, Undset was well
versed in the Middle Ages, and had
enough life experience to construct
a character like the complicated
Kristin.
The story of a woman making her
way through life in 14th-century
Norway totaled 1,400 pages, which
were published as a trilogy between
1920 and 1927. Mixed in during
those years was " Olav Audunssøn
i Hestviken " (The Master of
Hestviken), which was 1,200 pages
and split into four books.
Undset's compelling accounts of
life in Scandinavia during the Middle
Ages garnered acknowledgement
from the world over. Both serial
novels became international bestsellers
and were translated into
several languages. In 1928, Undset
was awarded the Nobel Prize for
Literature for writing " the most
outstanding work of an idealistic
tendency. " At the time, she was the
second-youngest author, the third
Norwegian and the third woman
to receive the Prize for Literature.
Undset donated the 156,000 kroner
prize to charity.
In 1929, " Gymnadenia " (The Wild
Orchid) was published, followed in
1930 by " Den Brænnende Busk "
(The Burning Bush) and " Ida
Elisabeth " in 1932.
After this creative outburst, life
quieted down. Undset wrote some
heavier, history-driven pieces,
and then in 1934 produced the
autobiographical tome " Elleve År "
(Eleven Years). In this, she discusses
her childhood years in Kristiania,
which were filled with learning, love
and the tragic loss of her father.
Two years later, " Den Trofaste
Finding Safety During Wartime
In April 1940, Germany stormed
Norway and Undset's oldest son,
an officer in the Norwegian army,
was killed in action. Undset, who
had vehemently opposed Nazism
and Hitler since the early 1930s,
fled with her youngest son to the
neutral grounds of Sweden. Once
there, she learned that her beloved
Bjerkebæk had been taken over
by German soldiers and used as
officers' quarters.
Later that year, Undset and her
son relocated to the United States.
There, she unrelentingly advocated
for Norway by writing articles and
lecturing on the country's behalf.
When the war ended in 1945 and
her homeland was liberated, she
returned, exhausted. For her patriotic
undertakings, she was awarded
the Grand Cross by The Royal
Norwegian Order of Saint Olav.
But the damage of the previous
five years had been done, however, as
Undset never published another page.
On June 10, 1949, she died at the age
of 67.
Undset's wide-ranging writings,
which include 36 books and countless
literary essays and historical articles,
continue to fascinate readers today. In
fact, her novels-particularly " Kristin
Lavransdatter " -remain some of the
best-selling and most-read in all of
Norway.
sonsofnorway.com VIKING MARCH 2021 29
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Viking Magazine - March 2021

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