Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark · Chapter
Letter VIII explained
Wollstonecraft describes her time in Tonsberg, Norway, where she finds solace in nature, takes up rowing for exercise, and reflects on the sublime landscape.
What happens
Wollstonecraft describes her time in Tonsberg, Norway, where she finds solace in nature, takes up rowing for exercise, and reflects on the sublime landscape. She observes the character of the Norwegians, particularly the women, and critiques local customs regarding child-rearing and commerce. She also recounts her interactions with the mayor, a criminal's gratitude, and her own physical and emotional recovery.
Themes in this chapter
Nature and the Sublime
Wollstonecraft vividly describes the Norwegian landscape, the sea, and her transcendent experiences in nature, emphasizing the sublime and restorative power of the environment.
Social Critique and Class
She critiques local customs, such as the lack of markets and child-rearing practices, and reflects on the inertia of reason and the role of social hierarchy.
Gender and Women's Condition
Observations on Norwegian women's indolence and vivacity, their love of dancing, and the practice of taking in children from previous marriages.
Characters to notice
- Mary Wollstonecraft
Narrator and central figure; reflects on her emotional state, health, and observations of Norwegian society.
- Gilbert Imlay
Addressee of the letter; Wollstonecraft shares her personal reflections and experiences with him.
- Mr. Anker
The mayor of Tonsberg; described as intelligent, cheerful, and well-regarded by the townspeople.
- Frances Blood
Mentioned in the context of a previous hospitable reception in Hull, evoking fond memories.
Key passages
“I soon became expert, and my train of thinking kept time, as it were, with the oars, or I suffered the boat to be carried along by the current, indulging a pleasing forgetfulness or fallacious hopes.”
She quickly learned to row, finding that her thoughts moved in rhythm with the oars, or she let the current carry her, enjoying a temporary escape or deceptive optimism.
Wollstonecraft uses rowing as a metaphor for her mental state, blending physical activity with emotional reflection.
“I cannot bear to think of being no more—of losing myself—though existence is often but a painful consciousness of misery; nay, it appears to me impossible that I should cease to exist...”
She dreads the idea of annihilation and feels that her active spirit cannot simply be reduced to dust, believing that something immortal resides within her.
A philosophical meditation on the fear of death and the nature of the soul, reflecting her inner turmoil.
“The only way of parrying off my reasoning was that they must do as other people did; in short, reason on any subject of change, and they stop you by saying that 'the town would talk.'”
When she tried to persuade the women to change their child-rearing practices, they resisted by citing custom and fear of gossip.
Highlights the social pressure to conform and the difficulty of introducing change in a traditional society.