Ronia the Robber's Daughter
Encyclopedia
Ronia the Robber's Daughter (Swedish:
Ronja Rövardotter) is a children's fantasy
book by the noted Swedish
author Astrid Lindgren
, first published in 1981. In the film based on the story, Ronia was played by Hanna Zetterberg Struwe
.
bolt on the day of Ronia's birth. Soon afterwards, a different clan of robbers, the "Borkas", settles the other side of the mountain, resulting in much strife between the two clans. Ronia grows up with Matt's clan of robbers as her only company. One day, Ronia sees Birk Borkason, the only son of the enemy chieftain, Borka, idling by the chasm that splits the two parts of the castle. He is the only other child she has ever met, and so she is sorry that he is a Borka. He engages her in a game of jumping across, which does not end until Birk almost falls down. Ronia saves him and they become friends.
The following winter is long and cold and although Matt's robbers are well fed, their counterparts are suffering on the other side of the chasm. Ronia brings food to Birk through a secret passageway. They get very close but both know that they cannot tell their families. Later that year Birk saves Ronia from being captured by the faeries only to be captured himself by Ronia's father. Ronia gives herself to the Borkas so she must be exchanged, but as a result her father disowns her and refuses to let her be his daughter. Birk and Ronia run away to the woods. Ultimately their families repent of their feuding, and everyone is reunited.
In 1984
, the book was made into a Swedish fantasy film
. It was directed by the Swedish film director Tage Danielsson
and adapted for screenplay by Astrid Lindgren herself. It was a major success, becoming the highest-grossing 1984 film in Sweden, and winning a Silver Bear at the 1985 Berlin International Film Festival
. More than 1.5 million people attended its screenings in Sweden.
in the German language
, and has orchestra
, band
and more than one hundred people on the stage
.
r Höhle was performed in 1993 and 2004 with its musical director Ralf Linke, Oberkirch (Baden)
in 2006. The German adaptation was written by Barbara Hass.
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
Ronja Rövardotter) is a children's fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
book by the noted Swedish
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....
author Astrid Lindgren
Astrid Lindgren
Astrid Anna Emilia Lindgren , 14 November 1907 – 28 January 2002) was a Swedish author and screenwriter who is the world's 25th most translated author and has sold roughly 145 million copies worldwide...
, first published in 1981. In the film based on the story, Ronia was played by Hanna Zetterberg Struwe
Hanna Zetterberg Struwe
Hanna Zetterberg Struwe was a Swedish Left Party politician and member of the Riksdag 1994 - 1998....
.
Plot summary
Ronia, the main character, is a girl growing up in a castle in the wood in a clan of robbers. As she is the only child of Mattis, the chief, she is expected to become the leader of the clan someday. Their castle, Matt's Fort, is split in two parts by a lightningLightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
bolt on the day of Ronia's birth. Soon afterwards, a different clan of robbers, the "Borkas", settles the other side of the mountain, resulting in much strife between the two clans. Ronia grows up with Matt's clan of robbers as her only company. One day, Ronia sees Birk Borkason, the only son of the enemy chieftain, Borka, idling by the chasm that splits the two parts of the castle. He is the only other child she has ever met, and so she is sorry that he is a Borka. He engages her in a game of jumping across, which does not end until Birk almost falls down. Ronia saves him and they become friends.
The following winter is long and cold and although Matt's robbers are well fed, their counterparts are suffering on the other side of the chasm. Ronia brings food to Birk through a secret passageway. They get very close but both know that they cannot tell their families. Later that year Birk saves Ronia from being captured by the faeries only to be captured himself by Ronia's father. Ronia gives herself to the Borkas so she must be exchanged, but as a result her father disowns her and refuses to let her be his daughter. Birk and Ronia run away to the woods. Ultimately their families repent of their feuding, and everyone is reunited.
Film
- see Ronia, the Robber's Daughter (film)Ronia, the Robber's Daughter (film)Ronia, the Robber's Daughter is a 1984 Swedish fantasy film directed by Tage Danielsson, based on the novel of the same title by Astrid Lindgren, and adapted for the screen by Lindgren herself.When the film was broadcast on television two years after the theatrical premiere, the film was twenty...
In 1984
1984 in film
-Events:* The Walt Disney Company founds Touchstone Pictures to release movies with subject matter deemed inappropriate for the Disney name.* Tri-Star Pictures, a joint venture of Columbia Pictures, HBO, and CBS, releases its first film....
, the book was made into a Swedish fantasy film
Fantasy film
Fantasy films are films with fantastic themes, usually involving magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered to be distinct from science fiction film and horror film, although the genres do overlap...
. It was directed by the Swedish film director Tage Danielsson
Tage Danielsson
Tage Danielsson was a Swedish author, actor, poet and film director. He was born in Linköping and died in Stockholm...
and adapted for screenplay by Astrid Lindgren herself. It was a major success, becoming the highest-grossing 1984 film in Sweden, and winning a Silver Bear at the 1985 Berlin International Film Festival
Berlin International Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...
. More than 1.5 million people attended its screenings in Sweden.
Musical
In 1994 the book was made into a German musical called "Ronja Räubertochter". The musical is written by Axel BergstedtAxel Bergstedt
Axel Bergstedt is a German conductor and composer currently living in Brazil.He lived in front of the famous old Cathedral of Ratzeburg, a well known Lutheran church. It is a center of church music, and conductor and organist Neithard Bethke became the beloved teacher of the young Axel. Famous...
in the German language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, and has orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
, band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
and more than one hundred people on the stage
Stage (theatre)
In theatre or performance arts, the stage is a designated space for the performance productions. The stage serves as a space for actors or performers and a focal point for the members of the audience...
.
Stage
A production in the BalveBalve
Balve is a town in the Märkischer Kreis district, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in Hönnetal, a narrow valley created by the river Hönne, which is near the Sorpesee, formerly part of Balve, and at the north end of the Sauerland, near Dortmund...
r Höhle was performed in 1993 and 2004 with its musical director Ralf Linke, Oberkirch (Baden)
Oberkirch (Baden)
Oberkirch is a town in Western Baden-Württemberg, Germany about 12 km North-East of Offenburg and belongs to the Ortenaukreis district....
in 2006. The German adaptation was written by Barbara Hass.
Translations
Ronia the Robber's Daughter has been translated into 39 languages. Two English translations exist which provide different translations of the Swedish names.| Swedish, Ronja Rövardotter | English, 1983, Methuen Children's Books Methuen & Co. Ltd. Methuen Publishing Ltd is a British publishing house. It was founded in 1889 by Sir Algernon Methuen and began publishing in London in 1892. E. V... , The Robber's Daughter |
English, 1985, Puffin Books Penguin Books Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large... , Ronia, the Robber's Daughter |
|---|---|---|
| Ronja | Kirsty | Ronia |
| Mattis | Matt | Matt |
| Lovis | Lena | Lovis |
| Borka | Ranulf | Borka |
| Undis | Hanna | Undis |
| Birk | Burl | Birk |
| Skalle-Per | Skinny-Pete | Noddle-Pete |
| Tjegge | Shaggy | Shaggy |
| Pelje | Proudfoot | Pelle |
| Fjosok | Fulke | Foolok |
| Jutis | Jolly | Jutto |
| Joen | Jip | Jep |
| Labbas | Knuckles | Knuckles |
| Knotas | Knott | Knott |
| Turre | Tapper | Tapper |
| Tjorm | Tobbit | Torm |
| Sturkas | Bumper | Bumper |
| Lill-Klippen | Snip | Little Snip |