The Romance of a Fisherman's Wife
The story revolves around the life of a young woman who marries a fisherman and moves to a remote coastal village. She struggles with her new role in society and the isolation that comes with it. The narrative explores themes of loneliness, love, and the human condition through the protagonist's experiences.
By Selma Lagerlof · First published 1888 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Romance, Drama · 3,722 words
First lines
On the outer edge of the fishing-village stood a little cottage on a low mound of white sea sand. It was not built in line with the even, neat, conventional houses that enclosed the wide green place where the brown fishnets were dried, but seemed as if forced out of the row and pushed on one side to the sand-hills. The poor widow who had erected it had been her own builder, and she had made the walls of her cottage lower than those of all the other cottages and its steep thatched roof higher than any other roof in the fishing-village. The floor lay deep down in the ground. The window was neither high nor wide, but nevertheless it reached from the cornice to the level of the earth. There had been no space for a chimney-breast in the one narrow room and she had been obliged to add a small, square projection. The cottage had not, like the other cottages, its fenced-in garden with gooseberry bushes and twining morning-glories and elder-bushes half suffocated by burdocks. Of all the vegetation of the fishing-village, only the burdocks had followed the cottage to the sand-hill. They were fine enough in summer with their fresh, dark-green leaves and prickly baskets filled with bright, red flowers. But towards the autumn, when the prickles had hardened and the seeds had ripened, they grew careless about their looks, and stood hideously ugly and dry with their torn leaves wrapped in a melancholy shroud of dusty cobwebs.
What this Textopian page supports
The Romance of a Fisherman's Wife is listed on Textopian as a novel by Selma Lagerlof, dated 1888 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Selma Lagerlof
- Date: 1888 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Romance, Drama, Social Commentary, Historical Fiction
- Length: 3,722 words
- Structure: 1 section, 52 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Romance of a Fisherman's Wife by Selma Lagerlof
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Romance of a Fisherman's Wife?
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- Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Literary Fiction — The work explores deep emotional and psychological themes, focusing on the complexities of human relationships and societal expectations.
- Romance — The central plot revolves around the romantic relationship between the protagonist and her husband, highlighting themes of love, deception, and societal class.
- Drama — The narrative presents intense emotional conflicts and character development, showcasing the struggles and hardships faced by the characters.
- Social Commentary — The story critiques social class distinctions and the impact of poverty on personal relationships and identity.
Tags
Nordic Literature · Feminist Themes · Marriage · Love Story · Fisherman's Life · Rural Setting · Swedish Culture · 19th Century Fiction · Realism · Social Commentary · Domestic Drama · Family Conflicts