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Four Stories
The four stories are Selma Broter, Thjodolf, Miss SmithTellefsen & Simonsen.
Undset was the daughter of archeologist Ingvald Undset. Cultural, autobiographical & religious topics constitute a large portion of her fiction, which in Norway is categorized according to the time of action: medieval or modern. Jenny (1911), an idealistic & tragic love story, is one of the latter novels. Undset's comprehensive knowledge of medieval Scandinavian culture has its literary monuments in Kristin Lavransdatter ('20-22) & The Master of Hestviken ('25-27), historical novels that depict life in the Norwegian Middle Ages. She was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in '28. Norwegian criticism of her writing centers on her religiosity (she became a conservative, almost reactionary Catholic in Lutheran Norway in the 20s; she possesses an intensity of belief that is rather naturally expressed in the medieval novels. Yet while she's written religious polemics, the medieval novels are not tendentious. In fact, the central motifs are eroticism, marriage & family life, in short, the full life of a medieval woman who sees herself in the light of contemporary Christian beliefs. These novels are realistic delineations of medieval personalities. During WWII she escaped the German occupation of Norway & fled to America, where she wrote her autobiographical Happy Times in Norway ('42).
Undset was the daughter of archeologist Ingvald Undset. Cultural, autobiographical & religious topics constitute a large portion of her fiction, which in Norway is categorized according to the time of action: medieval or modern. Jenny (1911), an idealistic & tragic love story, is one of the latter novels. Undset's comprehensive knowledge of medieval Scandinavian culture has its literary monuments in Kristin Lavransdatter ('20-22) & The Master of Hestviken ('25-27), historical novels that depict life in the Norwegian Middle Ages. She was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in '28. Norwegian criticism of her writing centers on her religiosity (she became a conservative, almost reactionary Catholic in Lutheran Norway in the 20s; she possesses an intensity of belief that is rather naturally expressed in the medieval novels. Yet while she's written religious polemics, the medieval novels are not tendentious. In fact, the central motifs are eroticism, marriage & family life, in short, the full life of a medieval woman who sees herself in the light of contemporary Christian beliefs. These novels are realistic delineations of medieval personalities. During WWII she escaped the German occupation of Norway & fled to America, where she wrote her autobiographical Happy Times in Norway ('42).
- GenresFiction
245 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1959
About the author
Sigrid Undset
313 books912 followersSigrid Undset was a Norwegian novelist whose powerful, psychologically rich works made her one of the most significant literary figures of the 20th century. Best known for her medieval sagas Kristin Lavransdatter and The Master of Hestviken, she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1928 for her vivid portrayals of life in the Middle Ages, written with remarkable historical detail and emotional depth.
Born in Denmark to Norwegian parents, Undset spent most of her life in Norway. After her father's early death, she had to forgo formal education and worked as a secretary while writing in her spare time. Her debut novel Fru Marta Oulie (1907) shocked readers with its opening confession of adultery and established her bold, realist style. In early works like ,i>Jenny (1911), she explored modern women's struggles with love, freedom, and morality, often critiquing romantic idealism and social expectations.
Though she gained recognition for her contemporary novels, Undset felt increasingly drawn to historical fiction. This shift led to her masterwork Kristin Lavransdatter, a trilogy published from 1920 to 1922, which follows the life of a woman in 14th-century Norway as she navigates love, faith, motherhood, and spiritual growth. With its intricate character development and deep moral themes, the trilogy brought her international acclaim and remains a cornerstone of Scandinavian literature.
In 1924, Undset converted to Roman Catholicism, a profound personal decision that shaped her later writing. Her tetralogy,i>The Master of Hestviken (1925–1927) centers on a man burdened by unconfessed guilt, offering a deeply spiritual and psychological portrait of sin and redemption. Her Catholic faith and concern with ethical questions became central to her work and public life.
A vocal critic of both communism and fascism, Undset fled Norway after the Nazi invasion in 1940. Her books were banned by the occupying regime, and she lived in exile in the United States during the war, advocating for Norway and the Allied cause. The loss of her son in the war deeply affected her, and although she returned home after the war, she published little in her final years.
Undset’s legacy rests not only on her historical novels but also on her fearless exploration of conscience, duty, and the human condition. Her characters—especially her women—are fully realized, flawed, and emotionally complex. Her writing combines psychological insight with stylistic clarity and spiritual depth, making her work enduringly relevant and widely read.
Born in Denmark to Norwegian parents, Undset spent most of her life in Norway. After her father's early death, she had to forgo formal education and worked as a secretary while writing in her spare time. Her debut novel Fru Marta Oulie (1907) shocked readers with its opening confession of adultery and established her bold, realist style. In early works like ,i>Jenny (1911), she explored modern women's struggles with love, freedom, and morality, often critiquing romantic idealism and social expectations.
Though she gained recognition for her contemporary novels, Undset felt increasingly drawn to historical fiction. This shift led to her masterwork Kristin Lavransdatter, a trilogy published from 1920 to 1922, which follows the life of a woman in 14th-century Norway as she navigates love, faith, motherhood, and spiritual growth. With its intricate character development and deep moral themes, the trilogy brought her international acclaim and remains a cornerstone of Scandinavian literature.
In 1924, Undset converted to Roman Catholicism, a profound personal decision that shaped her later writing. Her tetralogy,i>The Master of Hestviken (1925–1927) centers on a man burdened by unconfessed guilt, offering a deeply spiritual and psychological portrait of sin and redemption. Her Catholic faith and concern with ethical questions became central to her work and public life.
A vocal critic of both communism and fascism, Undset fled Norway after the Nazi invasion in 1940. Her books were banned by the occupying regime, and she lived in exile in the United States during the war, advocating for Norway and the Allied cause. The loss of her son in the war deeply affected her, and although she returned home after the war, she published little in her final years.
Undset’s legacy rests not only on her historical novels but also on her fearless exploration of conscience, duty, and the human condition. Her characters—especially her women—are fully realized, flawed, and emotionally complex. Her writing combines psychological insight with stylistic clarity and spiritual depth, making her work enduringly relevant and widely read.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 12, 2018
Before embarking on this author's famous trilogy, Kristin Lavransdatter, I decided to sample her shorter work.
It seems that historical fiction had been Sigrid Undset's "first love". At the age of 16, she began to write a novel which was set in the Middle Ages and was completed (and ultimately not accepted for publication) six years later, in 1904. She turned her attention then to realistic contemporary fiction and published, between 1907 and 1918, several successful novels (and this collection of stories).
This small volume, originally published in 1912, was entitled Fattige Skjebner (which, I have been informed by a member of The Sigrid Undset Society, means "Poor Fates" or "Poor Destinies"). The Norwegian title accurately reflects the nature of the stories for they speak honestly about the everyday lives of the working-class people of Kristiania (modern Oslo). Undset's plain, unsentimental language describes their struggles with everyday life, with family relationships, with financial worries, and with the humiliation and shame often heaped upon them by others.
Although it is not medieval historical fiction (her mastery of which ultimately earned her the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928), I found this book to be a useful introduction to the writing of Sigrid Undset.
It seems that historical fiction had been Sigrid Undset's "first love". At the age of 16, she began to write a novel which was set in the Middle Ages and was completed (and ultimately not accepted for publication) six years later, in 1904. She turned her attention then to realistic contemporary fiction and published, between 1907 and 1918, several successful novels (and this collection of stories).
This small volume, originally published in 1912, was entitled Fattige Skjebner (which, I have been informed by a member of The Sigrid Undset Society, means "Poor Fates" or "Poor Destinies"). The Norwegian title accurately reflects the nature of the stories for they speak honestly about the everyday lives of the working-class people of Kristiania (modern Oslo). Undset's plain, unsentimental language describes their struggles with everyday life, with family relationships, with financial worries, and with the humiliation and shame often heaped upon them by others.
Although it is not medieval historical fiction (her mastery of which ultimately earned her the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928), I found this book to be a useful introduction to the writing of Sigrid Undset.
February 8, 2018
"Cuatro mujeres es una obra que está a la altura no solo por su nivel social y simbólico, sino por su preciosa y cuidada narrativa, la cual te deja una sensación de estar, una vez más, ante un cuento escrito para adultos con una moraleja mordaz."
¡Ya podéis leer mi opinión sobre "Cuatro mujeres" en la web!
https://lacasadelnomada.com/2018/02/0...
¡Ya podéis leer mi opinión sobre "Cuatro mujeres" en la web!
https://lacasadelnomada.com/2018/02/0...
January 8, 2023
Undset portrays the bitterness of life, whether through choices or life’s circumstances. These are not uplifting stories, but the characters have a realness to them. I can’t say I enjoyed this book, and I had to make myself finish it. I would like to read more of her writings one day.
June 14, 2011
Selma Broter:
Selma is a difficult character to have compassion for. She is short-sighted and cannot understand that she has been used by her friends. Still I found her very lovable as a person, and was relieved that in the end though she does not have the life she dreams of, she has a life that is fulfilling to her.
Thjodolf:
Uff-da. All the pain and sadness of the human condition is packed into this short story about a foster mother. So often I wanted to reach in and set things right. Still, a Sigrid Undset heroine's downfall is often her own doing. When the foster mom tells Thjoldolf she is the child's true mother she sets herself up for tragedy. The final scene in the story felt like a punch to the gut.
Miss Smith Tellefsen:
Silly housekeepers should not seek to take the place of the dead wife in the home.
Simonsen:
The most gentle of the four, with the most hope for an eventual and good resolution. Turns out dads love their daughters.
So why read four relatively painful stories? They are well written, and Sigrid is a keen observer of people's nature. I suppose what I can take away from these, and what draws me back to her work again and again, is that her characters are never fully right or wrong. Each person is allowed to act and surrounding characters respond in a way that reflects our own human drama. After a little Undset I feel less pressured to make the correct decision, and more encouraged to act and respond, act and respond.
Selma is a difficult character to have compassion for. She is short-sighted and cannot understand that she has been used by her friends. Still I found her very lovable as a person, and was relieved that in the end though she does not have the life she dreams of, she has a life that is fulfilling to her.
Thjodolf:
Uff-da. All the pain and sadness of the human condition is packed into this short story about a foster mother. So often I wanted to reach in and set things right. Still, a Sigrid Undset heroine's downfall is often her own doing. When the foster mom tells Thjoldolf she is the child's true mother she sets herself up for tragedy. The final scene in the story felt like a punch to the gut.
Miss Smith Tellefsen:
Silly housekeepers should not seek to take the place of the dead wife in the home.
Simonsen:
The most gentle of the four, with the most hope for an eventual and good resolution. Turns out dads love their daughters.
So why read four relatively painful stories? They are well written, and Sigrid is a keen observer of people's nature. I suppose what I can take away from these, and what draws me back to her work again and again, is that her characters are never fully right or wrong. Each person is allowed to act and surrounding characters respond in a way that reflects our own human drama. After a little Undset I feel less pressured to make the correct decision, and more encouraged to act and respond, act and respond.
April 6, 2025
All the one and two star reviews on this collection were citing that it was "too upsetting." Apparently, people don't like fiction about what happens to people living in poverty, and - whether it was in a historical context or she was writing in her contemporary setting - Sigrid Undset was not afraid of the truth.
Her characters are neither good nor bad, they are just people. They are sometimes mean-spirited, they are judgemental, they leave their children and are unfaithful to their wives. They toil, they love, they dream, and they live in constant disappointment. It doesn't get more real than that.
Her characters are neither good nor bad, they are just people. They are sometimes mean-spirited, they are judgemental, they leave their children and are unfaithful to their wives. They toil, they love, they dream, and they live in constant disappointment. It doesn't get more real than that.
May 1, 2026
3.5 stars
I read this for the Massachusetts Center for the Book April challenge (short stories or essay collection). Undset is always pretty sad, but these stories were just soo bleak. She really captures some of the worst aspects of human relationships. I did like the time period and setting though— it’s always nice to read things set in less typical places.
I read this for the Massachusetts Center for the Book April challenge (short stories or essay collection). Undset is always pretty sad, but these stories were just soo bleak. She really captures some of the worst aspects of human relationships. I did like the time period and setting though— it’s always nice to read things set in less typical places.
Read
September 20, 2024I am an avid Sigrid Unset fan, and I have a fair tolerance for depressing Scandinavian literature, but this book defeated me after the first two stories. No rating for now; I hope to come back and finish it when I think I can bear two more stories of sadness and despair.
July 19, 2025
This was a quick read and different from other Undset books I've read. The stories were dark, but moving. They were filled with strife, poverty, and sadness.
January 21, 2015
I didn't love all of these stories, but I LOVED the one about the woman who fostered a child. She had tried to have a child but had a miscarriage, and ends up adopting a child. She falls in love with him, gives him a good home…until his somewhat "unrespectable" birth mother comes back to get him. You can't help but hate her. Then, after some trouble, she returns the boy to the foster parents....but she didn't care for him correctly, and he ends up dying. The ending surprised and fascinated me. Great story
December 22, 2009
Terribly depressing, as is fitting for a Norwegian, but very good.
April 10, 2014
Very nice read! Human condition captured in it's basest. A very raw and emotional story about family life where it's difficult to express in words...yet she got it right each and every time.
July 8, 2014
Undset doesn't seem very optimistic about life. Most characters are miserable, but some can hold it off via self-delusion.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews