Writer Sigrid Undset

while employed @ office work, undset wrote , studied. 16 years old when made first attempt @ writing novel set in nordic middle ages. manuscript, historical novel set in medieval denmark, ready time 22. turned down publishing house.

nonetheless, 2 years later, completed manuscript, less voluminous first @ 80 pages. had put aside middle ages , had instead produced realistic description of woman middle-class background in contemporary kristiania. book refused publishers @ first subsequently accepted. title fru marta oulie, , opening sentence (the words of book s main character) scandalised readers: have been unfaithful husband .

thus, @ age of 25, undset made literary debut short realistic novel on adultery, set against contemporary background. created stir, , found herself ranked promising young author in norway. during years 1919, undset published number of novels set in contemporary kristiania. contemporary novels of period 1907–1918 city , inhabitants. stories of working people, of trivial family destinies, of relationship between parents , children. main subjects women , love. or, herself put it—in typically curt , ironic manner— immoral kind (of love).

this realistic period culminated in novels jenny (1911) , vaaren (spring) (1914). first woman painter who, result of romantic crises, believes wasting life, and, in end, commits suicide. other tells of woman succeeds in saving both herself , love serious matrimonial crisis, creating secure family. these books placed undset apart incipient women s emancipation movement in europe.

undset s books sold start, and, after publication of third book, left office job , prepared live on income writer. having been granted writer s scholarship, set out on lengthy journey in europe. after short stops in denmark , germany, continued italy, arriving in rome in december 1909, remained 9 months. undset s parents had had close relationship rome, and, during stay there, followed in footsteps. encounter southern europe meant great deal her; made friends within circle of scandinavian artists , writers in rome.