Jenny · Chapter
II explained
Jenny returns to Kristiania and sets up her studio with the help of Kalfatrus.
What happens
Jenny returns to Kristiania and sets up her studio with the help of Kalfatrus. She spends her days reading Helge's letters and longing for him. After twelve days, she finally visits Helge's parents, the Grams. The visit is strained; Mrs. Gram is sharp and critical, and Jenny feels an immediate antipathy towards her. She observes the family's home and Mr. Gram's paintings, noting the contrast between the romanticized Italian art and the reality of the household. The encounter leaves Jenny feeling uneasy and out of place.
Themes in this chapter
Family Dynamics and Maternal Control
Jenny's visit reveals the oppressive and controlling nature of Mrs. Gram's love for her children, which has driven them away. Jenny's initial pity turns to antipathy upon meeting her.
Artistic Identity and Work
Jenny's appreciation of Mr. Gram's paintings contrasts with Mrs. Gram's dismissal of them. The chapter highlights the tension between artistic ambition and domestic reality.
Characters to notice
- Jenny Winge
Returns to Kristiania, sets up her studio, and visits Helge's parents. She feels a strong longing for Helge and is disappointed by the reality of his mother.
- Kalfatrus
Helps Jenny arrange her studio in the afternoons.
- Helge Gram
Absent but central; Jenny reads his letters and visits his parents on his behalf.
- Mrs. Gram
Helge's mother. She is sharp, critical, and makes Jenny feel unwelcome. Jenny feels an almost physical antipathy towards her.
- Mr. Gram
Jenny meets him briefly on the stairs. She notes he looks very young and has very blue eyes.
Key passages
“You have grown so tall that I almost thought I could not call you by the old name any longer.”
Kalfatrus remarks on how much Jenny has changed, suggesting she is no longer the same person he once knew.
Highlights Jenny's personal growth and the passage of time.
“She longed for him impatiently, madly—longed to see him and touch him and convince herself that he was hers.”
Jenny is consumed by a desperate, physical longing for Helge, needing to be with him to reassure herself of their connection.
Shows the intensity of Jenny's feelings and her emotional dependence on Helge.
“In her heart she had taken the mother’s part. Men did not understand to what extent a woman could change who loved and got no love in return except the love of small children.”
Jenny had previously sympathized with Helge's mother, understanding how a woman could become bitter when her love is only returned by her children.
Reveals Jenny's initial empathy and her complex understanding of Mrs. Gram's situation.
“But there was an expression about her mouth as if everything she said were spiteful, and a malicious and scornful look about the fine wrinkles of the face.”
Jenny perceives a cruel and contemptuous quality in Mrs. Gram's expression, which repels her.
Contrasts Jenny's initial pity with her immediate physical and emotional aversion.
“He says himself that they are no good, but it is only a way of talking, I think, she said, with a short, harsh laugh.”
Mrs. Gram dismisses her husband's self-criticism, suggesting it is just a pretense.
Illustrates the lack of understanding and support in the Gram household for Mr. Gram's artistic work.