Fredrika Bremer
Encyclopedia
Fredrika Bremer was a Swedish
writer
and a feminist
activist. She had a large influence on the social development in Sweden, especially in feminist issues.
(Turku) in Finland
, then a Swedish province, as the daughter of Karl Fredrik Bremer (1770-1830) and Birgitta Charlotta Hollström (1777-1855). Her father, a descendant of an old German family, was a wealthy iron master and merchant. The family left Finland when Fredrika was three years old, and after a year's residence in Stockholm, purchased Årsta Castle
, about 20 m. from Stockholm. Her father was described as somewhat of a house tyrant, and her mother was a socialite. She and her sisters where brought up to marry in to the aristocracy; a trip on the continent in 1821-22 was the finishing touch of her upbringing before her social debut.
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Bremer was not comfortable with this role, and was inflicted by a crisis, which she overcame by charitable work in the country around Årsta Castle. In 1828, she debuted as a writer, anonymously, with a series of novels published until 1831, and was soon followed by others. Her novels were romantic stories of the time and concentrated on women in the marriage market; either beautiful and superficial, or unattractive with no hope of joining it, and the person telling the story and observing them is often an independent woman. She wanted a new kind of family life, one not focused only on the male members of the family, but one which would give a larger place for women to be in focus and develop their own talents and personality.
By the 1840s, she was an acknowledged part of the cultural life in Sweden and her writing was translated into many languages. Politically, she was a liberal, who felt sympathy for social issues and for the working class movement. In 1854, she co-founded the Women Society for the Improvement of Prisoners (Fruntimmersällskapet för fångars förbättring) together with Mathilda Foy
, Maria Cederschiöld , Betty Ehrenborg and Emilia Elmblad. The purpose was to visit female prisoners to provide moral support and improve their character by studies of religion.
Her novel Hertha (1856) remains her most influential work. It is a dark novel about the lack of freedom for women, and it raised a debate in the parliament called "The Hertha debate", which contributed to the new law of legal majority for adult unmarried women in Sweden in 1858, and was somewhat of a starting point for the real feminist movement in Sweden. Hertha also raised the debate of higher formal education for women, and in 1861, the University for Women Teachers (Högre lärarinneseminariet), was founded by the state after the suggested woman university in Hertha. In 1859, Sophie Adlersparre
, founded the paper Tidskrift för hemmet inspired by the novel. This was the starting point for Adlersparre's work as the organizer of the Swedish feminist movement.
In 1860, she helped Johanna Berglind
to fund Tysta Skolan, a school for the deaf and mute in Stockholm. At the electoral reforms regarding the right to vote of 1862, she supported the idea to give women the right to vote, which was talked about as the "horrific sight" of seeing "crinoline
s at the election boxes", but Bremer gave the idea her support, and the same year, women of legal majority were granted suffrage in municipal elections in Sweden. The first real Women's rights movement in Sweden, the Fredrika Bremer Association (Fredrika Bremer Förbundet), founded by Sophie Adlersparre
in 1884, was named after her. Bremer was happy to mention and to recommend the work of other female professionals. She mentioned both the doctor Lovisa Årberg
and the engraver Sofia Ahlbom
in her work.
From 1849 to 1851 Bremer traveled by herself in the United States
. Many of her works had been translated into English by the noted poet and author Mary Howitt
. In the novel Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
, Mrs. March reads from Fredrika Bremer to her four daughters. She was disappointed in what she had heard to be a `promised land,' particularly in the institution of slavery. She also visited Switzerland, Italy, Palestine, and Greece between 1856 and 1861, and wrote popular accounts of her travels.
in the 1830s, who gave her private lessons and became her friend. He asked her to marry him but, after several years consideration, she declined. She died at Årsta Castle
outside of Stockholm, Sweden,
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Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and a feminist
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
activist. She had a large influence on the social development in Sweden, especially in feminist issues.
Background
Fredrika Bremer was born in ÅboTurku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
(Turku) in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, then a Swedish province, as the daughter of Karl Fredrik Bremer (1770-1830) and Birgitta Charlotta Hollström (1777-1855). Her father, a descendant of an old German family, was a wealthy iron master and merchant. The family left Finland when Fredrika was three years old, and after a year's residence in Stockholm, purchased Årsta Castle
Årsta Castle
Årsta Castle in Haninge Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden, is a castle built in the 17th Century....
, about 20 m. from Stockholm. Her father was described as somewhat of a house tyrant, and her mother was a socialite. She and her sisters where brought up to marry in to the aristocracy; a trip on the continent in 1821-22 was the finishing touch of her upbringing before her social debut.
Career
By the 1840s, she was an acknowledged part of the cultural life in Sweden and her writing was translated into many languages. Politically, she was a liberal, who felt sympathy for social issues and for the working class movement. In 1854, she co-founded the Women Society for the Improvement of Prisoners (Fruntimmersällskapet för fångars förbättring) together with Mathilda Foy
Mathilda Foy
Mathilda Foy , , was a Swedish philanthropist and writer, known for her charitable work...
, Maria Cederschiöld , Betty Ehrenborg and Emilia Elmblad. The purpose was to visit female prisoners to provide moral support and improve their character by studies of religion.
Her novel Hertha (1856) remains her most influential work. It is a dark novel about the lack of freedom for women, and it raised a debate in the parliament called "The Hertha debate", which contributed to the new law of legal majority for adult unmarried women in Sweden in 1858, and was somewhat of a starting point for the real feminist movement in Sweden. Hertha also raised the debate of higher formal education for women, and in 1861, the University for Women Teachers (Högre lärarinneseminariet), was founded by the state after the suggested woman university in Hertha. In 1859, Sophie Adlersparre
Sophie Adlersparre
Carin Sophie Adlersparre née Leijonhufvud , was a Swedish feminist, publisher, editor, writer and friherinna...
, founded the paper Tidskrift för hemmet inspired by the novel. This was the starting point for Adlersparre's work as the organizer of the Swedish feminist movement.
In 1860, she helped Johanna Berglind
Johanna Berglind
Johanna Jeanette Berglind , was a Swedish sign language teacher and principal. She founded one of the first schools for the deaf and mute in her country, Tysta Skolan in Stockholm ....
to fund Tysta Skolan, a school for the deaf and mute in Stockholm. At the electoral reforms regarding the right to vote of 1862, she supported the idea to give women the right to vote, which was talked about as the "horrific sight" of seeing "crinoline
Crinoline
Crinoline was originally a stiff fabric with a weft of horse-hair and a warp of cotton or linen thread. The fabric first appeared around 1830, but by 1850 the word had come to mean a stiffened petticoat or rigid skirt-shaped structure of steel designed to support the skirts of a woman’s dress into...
s at the election boxes", but Bremer gave the idea her support, and the same year, women of legal majority were granted suffrage in municipal elections in Sweden. The first real Women's rights movement in Sweden, the Fredrika Bremer Association (Fredrika Bremer Förbundet), founded by Sophie Adlersparre
Sophie Adlersparre
Carin Sophie Adlersparre née Leijonhufvud , was a Swedish feminist, publisher, editor, writer and friherinna...
in 1884, was named after her. Bremer was happy to mention and to recommend the work of other female professionals. She mentioned both the doctor Lovisa Årberg
Lovisa Årberg
Maria Lovisa Åhrberg or Årberg , was a Swedish surgeon and doctor. She was the first recognised female doctor in Sweden. She was a doctor and a surgeon already in the 1820s, long before it was formally permitted for women in 1870...
and the engraver Sofia Ahlbom
Sofia Ahlbom
Sofia Carolina Ahlbom , was a Swedish drawing artist, engraver, lithographer, photographer, map maker, writer, poet and feminist....
in her work.
From 1849 to 1851 Bremer traveled by herself in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Many of her works had been translated into English by the noted poet and author Mary Howitt
Mary Howitt
Mary Howitt was an English poet, and author of the famous poem The Spider and the Fly. She was born Mary Botham at Coleford, in Gloucestershire, the temporary residence of her parents, while her father, Samuel Botham, a prosperous Quaker of Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, was looking after some mining...
. In the novel Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Louisa May Alcott
Louisa May Alcott was an American novelist. She is best known for the novel Little Women and its sequels Little Men and Jo's Boys. Little Women was set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House in Concord, Massachusetts, and published in 1868...
, Mrs. March reads from Fredrika Bremer to her four daughters. She was disappointed in what she had heard to be a `promised land,' particularly in the institution of slavery. She also visited Switzerland, Italy, Palestine, and Greece between 1856 and 1861, and wrote popular accounts of her travels.
Personal life
Fredrika Bremer never married. She got to know Per Böklin, a principal at a school in KristianstadKristianstad
Kristianstad is a city and the seat of Kristianstad Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 35,711 inhabitants in 2010.-History:The city was founded in 1614 by King Christian IV of Denmark, the city's name literally means 'Town of Christian', as a planned city after the burning of the town of Vä...
in the 1830s, who gave her private lessons and became her friend. He asked her to marry him but, after several years consideration, she declined. She died at Årsta Castle
Årsta Castle
Årsta Castle in Haninge Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden, is a castle built in the 17th Century....
outside of Stockholm, Sweden,
Selected works
- Teckningar utu vardagslivet, first work with Familjen H), 1828-31.
- Presidentens döttrar (The President's Daughters), 1834
- Nya teckningar utur vardagslivet, 1834-1858
- Familjen H, 1831 first translated as The H- family in 1843, translated and with an afterword by Sarah Death, 1995
- Midsommarresan : en vallfart, 1848
- Hemmet eller familje-sorger och fröjderHemmet (Bremer)Hemmet eller familje-sorger och fröjder is a Swedish novel written by Fredrika Bremer.-Background:...
, 1839 transl. as The home; or, family cares and family joys by Mary Howitt in 1850 (reprinted in 1978) - Grannarna, 1837, transl. by Mary Howitt as The neighbours: a story of every-day life; in two volumes, 1842
- Hemmen i den nya världen, 1853, Tr. by Mary Howitt as The Homes of the New World: Impressions of America, vol. I-III. Published in Sweden and London, 1853. Also at Google Books.
- Hertha, 1856.
- Livet i gamla världen (Life in the Old World), 1860-1862.
Memorials
- Bremer County, Iowa was named for Frederika Bremer
- Frederika, IowaFrederika, IowaFrederika is a city in Bremer County, Iowa, United States. The population was 199 at the 2000 census. It is named for Frederika Bremer, the Swedish poet, for whom the surrounding county was also named....
was named for her - Fredrika Bremer Intermediate SchoolFredrika Bremer Intermediate SchoolThe Fredrika Bremer Intermediate School or Bremer School, located at 1214 Lowry Avenue North in Minneapolis, Hennepin County in the U.S. state of Minnesota was built in 1887, a period of rapid population expansion in Minneapolis. Initially the school housed grades 1-3 for 70 students...
in Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
was named for her. - American Swedish Historical MuseumAmerican Swedish Historical MuseumThe American Swedish Historical Museum is the oldest Swedish-American museum in the United States. It is located in Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park in the South Philadelphia neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on part of a historic 17th-century land grant originally provided by Queen...
in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
devoted the Fredrika Bremer Room to her accomplishments
Other sources
- Burman, Carina Carina BurmanCarina Burman is a Swedish novelist and literature scholar. Her research has been focused on Swedish 18th and 19th century literature. She completed her Ph.D. in literature in Uppsala in 1988 with a dissertation on the Gustavian writer Johan Henric Kellgren...
Bremer: en biografi (Stockholm: Albert Bonniers Forlag. 2001) ISBN 978-9100576806 - Rooth, Signe Alice Seeress of the Northland: Fredrika Bremer's American Journey (American Swedish Historical Foundation, 1955)
- Stendahl, Brita K. The Education of a Self-Made Woman, Fredrika Bremer, 1801-1865 (Edwin Mellen Press. 1994) ISBN 978-0773490987
- Wieselgren, Greta Fredrika Bremer och verkligheten: Romanen Herthas tillblivelse (Kvinnohistoriskt arkiv. Norstedt. 1978) ISBN 978-9117830410
External links
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