Kristin Lavransdatter

novel by Undset

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Article History

Kristin Lavransdatter, historical novel in three volumes by Sigrid Undset, published from 1920 to 1922. For this work Undset was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928. The trilogy is set in medieval Norway and consists of Kransen (1920; The Bridal Wreath; U.K. title, The Garland), Husfrue (1921; The Mistress of Husaby), and Korset (1922; The Cross). A one-volume English edition was published in 1929.

In The Bridal Wreath, Kristin Lavransdatter enjoys a happy childhood and youth. The Mistress of Husaby concerns Kristin’s unhappy marriage. In The Cross the family must start over. After her husband dies in an armed confrontation, Kristin gives the keys to her house to her son’s wife and enters a convent, ultimately dying of the Black Death.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Kuiper.