The Story of Gösta Berling · Chapter
The Young Countess explained
After the pensioners abduct the young countess for refusing to dance with Gösta Berling, Count Henrik Dohna publicly humiliates her and commands her to kiss Gösta's hand in apology.
What happens
After the pensioners abduct the young countess for refusing to dance with Gösta Berling, Count Henrik Dohna publicly humiliates her and commands her to kiss Gösta's hand in apology. Gösta, moved by her purity and innocence, refuses and instead carries her off in a sledge, pursued by the count and others. Meanwhile, Captain Bergh and Cousin Christopher free the major's wife from her prison.
Themes in this chapter
Duality of Human Nature
Gösta sees both the countess's outward anger and her inner purity; his own nature swings between violent passion and reverent devotion.
Social Class and Power
Count Henrik Dohna asserts his authority over his wife, while the pensioners challenge social hierarchies through abduction and defiance.
Love and Sacrifice
Gösta's vow to serve the countess and his refusal to let her kiss his hand reflect a sacrificial devotion.
Characters to notice
- Gösta Berling
Experiences a revelation about the countess's noble soul and vows to be her servant; later abducts her in a sledge.
- The Young Countess
Refuses to dance with Gösta, is abducted, then humiliated by her husband and forced to apologize; becomes cold and resigned.
- Henrik Dohna
Commands his wife to kiss Gösta's hand, threatens a duel, and is portrayed as stupid and cowardly.
- Beerencreutz
Defends the pensioners' actions, drives the sledge during the abduction, and helps free the major's wife.
- Captain Christian Bergh
Along with Cousin Christopher, breaks the lock and frees the major's wife.
- Sintram
Present among the crowd observing the count's humiliation.
Key passages
“He saw so clearly it was like a revelation, although he did not understand how he had discovered it, that she had in her one of the most beautiful of souls.”
Gösta suddenly perceived, as if by divine insight, that the countess possessed a profoundly beautiful soul.
Gösta's moment of spiritual awakening regarding the countess's inner nature.
“The meaning is, that as long as there are women on earth, there will be fools to dance after their piping.”
Beerencreutz cynically remarks that men will always be foolishly driven by women.
Beerencreutz's sardonic justification for the pensioners' actions.
“I bring death and destruction to everything good and blameless. You shall not touch me. I shudder for you like fire for water.”
Gösta declares that he corrupts all that is innocent and must keep away from the countess as fire avoids water.
Gösta's self-loathing and his desire to protect the countess from his own influence.
“What shall a man do when red lips grow pale beneath his eyes? Kiss, of course, kiss the fading lips, the closed eyes, the white forehead.”
The narrator rhetorically asks what a man can do when faced with a pale, helpless face, answering that he must kiss it.
The romanticized justification for Gösta's kiss during the abduction.
