Magdalene Thoresen
Encyclopedia
Anna Magdalene Thoresen, née Kragh (3 June 1819 – 28 March 1903) was a Danish/Norwegian poet, novelist short story writer and playwright. She is said to have inspired a number of other writers to model characters after her.
, Denmark
, the daughter of skipper Thomas Nielsen Kragh and Anna Kristine Pedersen. She gave birth to an illegitimate child, who was put out to nurse. She then moved to Norway in 1842 and became governess for dean Hans Conrad Thoresen (1802–1858) at Herøy
in Sunnmøre
. He was a widower and had five children, and she married him in 1843. From 1844 they lived in Bergen
, where she played a central role in the cultural life. Her stepdaughter, Suzannah Ibsen
, was married to Henrik Ibsen
. She had four children with Hans Conrad Thoresen. After her husband's death in 1858, she travelled to Copenhagen
in 1861, moved to Christiania
in 1866, and lived in Copenhagen from 1870. She died in Copenhagen
in 1903.
established a theatre in Bergen, called Det Norske Theater
. Thoresen wrote four plays that were staged anonymously at Det Norske Theater
. Through the theatre she became acquainted with playwright Henrik Ibsen
. She was a friend of Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
, who published her poetry collection Digte af en dame in 1860. Among her novels are Studenten, published in the collection Fortællinger in 1862, Signes Historie from 1864, Min Bedstemoders Fortælling from 1867, and Solen i Siljedalen from 1868. Among her successful plays are Et rigt Parti, which was first staged at the Royal Danish Theatre
in 1870 and later in Stockholm
and in Christiania
, and Inden Døre from 1877. She published the travel book Billeder fra Vestkysten av Norge in 1872, and another travel book, Billeder fra Midnatsolens Land, in 1882.
) and "Ellida Wangel" (from The Lady from the Sea
), and Bjørnson's "Maria Stuart" (from his 1864 play), the wild girl "Petra" from Fiskerjenten and "Leonarda" (from his 1879 play).
Personal life
She was born in FredericiaFredericia
Fredericia is a town located in Fredericia municipality in the eastern part of the Jutland peninsula in Denmark, in a sub-region known locally as Trekanten, or The Triangle...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, the daughter of skipper Thomas Nielsen Kragh and Anna Kristine Pedersen. She gave birth to an illegitimate child, who was put out to nurse. She then moved to Norway in 1842 and became governess for dean Hans Conrad Thoresen (1802–1858) at Herøy
Herøy, Møre og Romsdal
Herøy is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative centre is the town of Fosnavåg on the island of Bergsøya. The industrial area of Eggesbønes is located south of Fosnavåg on the same island...
in Sunnmøre
Sunnmøre
Sunnmøre is the southernmost traditional district of the western Norwegian county of Møre og Romsdal. Its main city is Ålesund. The region comprises the municipalities of Giske, Hareid, Herøy, Norddal, Sande, Skodje, Haram, Stordal, Stranda, Sula, Sykkylven, Ulstein, Vanylven, Volda, Ørskog,...
. He was a widower and had five children, and she married him in 1843. From 1844 they lived in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, where she played a central role in the cultural life. Her stepdaughter, Suzannah Ibsen
Suzannah Ibsen
Suzannah Ibsen was the wife of playwright and poet Henrik Ibsen.-Biography:Suzannah Daae Thoresen was born in Herøy, Møre og Romsdal, Norway. Her parents were Hans Conrad Thoresen and his second wife, Sara Margrethe Daae...
, was married to Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
. She had four children with Hans Conrad Thoresen. After her husband's death in 1858, she travelled to Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
in 1861, moved to Christiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
in 1866, and lived in Copenhagen from 1870. She died in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
in 1903.
Career
In Bergen the Thoresens' home became a meeting place for writers and actors. In 1850 Ole BullOle Bull
Ole Bornemann Bull was a Norwegian violinist and composer.-Background:Bull was born in Bergen. He was the eldest of ten children of Johan Storm Bull and Anna Dorothea Borse Geelmuyden . His brother, Georg Andreas Bull became a noted Norwegian architect...
established a theatre in Bergen, called Det Norske Theater
Det norske Theater (Bergen)
Det norske Theater is a former theatre in Bergen, Norway, and regarded as the first pure Norwegian stage theatre. It opened in 1850 by primus motor, violinist Ole Bull, and closed in 1863, after a bankrupty. The theatre's first production was Holberg's comedy Den Vægelsindede, and the opening was...
. Thoresen wrote four plays that were staged anonymously at Det Norske Theater
Det norske Theater (Bergen)
Det norske Theater is a former theatre in Bergen, Norway, and regarded as the first pure Norwegian stage theatre. It opened in 1850 by primus motor, violinist Ole Bull, and closed in 1863, after a bankrupty. The theatre's first production was Holberg's comedy Den Vægelsindede, and the opening was...
. Through the theatre she became acquainted with playwright Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
. She was a friend of Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson was a Norwegian writer and the 1903 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. Bjørnson is considered as one of The Four Greats Norwegian writers; the others being Henrik Ibsen, Jonas Lie, and Alexander Kielland...
, who published her poetry collection Digte af en dame in 1860. Among her novels are Studenten, published in the collection Fortællinger in 1862, Signes Historie from 1864, Min Bedstemoders Fortælling from 1867, and Solen i Siljedalen from 1868. Among her successful plays are Et rigt Parti, which was first staged at the Royal Danish Theatre
Royal Danish Theatre
The Royal Danish Theatre is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first serving as the theatre of the king, and then as the theatre of the...
in 1870 and later in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
and in Christiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, and Inden Døre from 1877. She published the travel book Billeder fra Vestkysten av Norge in 1872, and another travel book, Billeder fra Midnatsolens Land, in 1882.
Influence
Thoresen's personality became a model for several female characters in Norwegian literature, including Ibsen's "Rebekka West" (from RosmersholmRosmersholm
Rosmersholm is a play written in 1886 by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. In the estimation of many critics the piece is Ibsen's masterwork, only equalled by The Wild Duck of 1884...
) and "Ellida Wangel" (from The Lady from the Sea
The Lady from the Sea
The Lady from the Sea is a play written in 1888 by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen.Kvinnan från havet is a ballet by choreographer Birgit Cullberg, and based on Ibsen's play...
), and Bjørnson's "Maria Stuart" (from his 1864 play), the wild girl "Petra" from Fiskerjenten and "Leonarda" (from his 1879 play).