Bjørnstjerne Martinus Bjørnson, Ei Faarleg Friing [A Dangerous Wooing]

Kathy Rees (Independent Scholar - Europe)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.3.5: Norwegian Writing and Culture.
Vol. editors: Kjerstin Moody (Gustavus Adolphus College), Sven Hakon Rossel (Universitat Wien), Herbert Rowland (Purdue University), Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen (University College London), Anja Tröger (University of Edinburgh)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1860

Places

Norway (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Story

Resources

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In this short story, Bjørnson plays on the tensions between the different positions in the bonde hierarchy: the ‘gardsman’ has greater status in terms of property and social class, than the ‘houseman’.

Thore Naesset, a houseman’s son, is in love with Aslaug Huseby, daughter of Old Knud, a gardsman. Aslaug was popular and when in the Spring she went up to the saeter (mountain pasture), “the young men raced up, but old Huseby whipped them” (129). Thore, however, does not give up, and returns “stealing on his tiptoes” (130) only to be set upon by Knud and his two sons. Knud challenged Thore: “If you can manage to get by the Huseby wolf and his cubs next Saturday night, the girl shall be yours” (131).

Thore Naesset, a houseman’s son, is in love with Aslaug Huseby,…

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286 words

Citation: Rees, Kathy. "Ei Faarleg Friing". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 22 April 2017 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=35903, accessed 19 April 2024.]

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