Short Fiction · Chapter
His Mother's Portrait explained
Old Mattsson, a seventy-year-old pilot, dreams that his mother's portrait commands him to marry.
What happens
Old Mattsson, a seventy-year-old pilot, dreams that his mother's portrait commands him to marry. Despite his past failed marriages and the portrait's previous warnings against marriage, he obeys and proposes to the plainest daughter of the poorest fisherman. He faces ridicule from the village and a long bureaucratic delay in publishing the bans. During this time, he discovers his betrothed's heart belongs to a young fisherman, but he proceeds with the marriage anyway. After the wedding, a November gale leaves Mattsson and others adrift; he survives but is permanently weakened and dies two years later, having been well cared for by his wife.
Themes in this chapter
Family and Legacy
The mother's portrait serves as a symbol of familial duty and legacy, compelling Mattsson to marry against his own judgment and the village's norms.
Suffering and Redemption
Mattsson endures public mockery and a prolonged waiting period, but his marriage ultimately leads to compassionate care during his final illness, suggesting a form of redemption.
Deception and Truth
The portrait's previous warnings against marriage contrast with its current command, revealing a deceptive or misunderstood guidance; Mattsson's betrothed hides her true feelings for another man.
Characters to notice
- Old Mattsson
The elderly pilot who obeys his mother's portrait's command to marry, despite past failures and public ridicule.
- Ingrid
The plain daughter of the poorest fisherman, who becomes Mattsson's wife; she secretly loves a young fisherman.
Key passages
“One night he dreamed that the portrait stepped down from its frame, placed itself in front of him and said with a loud voice: 'You must marry, Mattson.'”
In a dream, his mother's portrait came to life and commanded him to get married.
The central supernatural event that drives the plot.
“The road from the fishing-village to the town passes over windy marshes and swampy cow-pastures. It is two miles long, and there is a tradition that the inhabitants of the fishing-village are so rich that they could pave it with shining silver coins.”
The two-mile road to town crosses desolate marshes, and locals joke that the villagers are wealthy enough to pave it with silver coins.
Illustrates the village's perceived wealth and the harsh landscape Mattsson must traverse.
“The old man saw that her eyes were shining. 'Well,' he thought, 'have you fallen in love with the handsomest young fellow in the fishing-village? Yes, you will never get him. You may just as well marry me as wait for him.'”
Mattsson noticed his betrothed's bright eyes when a young fisherman passed, realizing she loved another but deciding to marry her anyway.
Reveals Mattsson's awareness of her true feelings and his selfish determination.