''Iceland's Bell'' () is a
historical novel
Historical fiction is a literary genre in which a fictional plot takes place in the setting of particular real historical events. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literature, it can also be applied to oth ...
by
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...
-winning
Iceland
Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...
ic author
Halldór Kiljan Laxness. It was published in three parts: ''Iceland's Bell'' (1943), ''The Bright Jewel'' or ''The Fair Maiden'' (1944) and ''Fire in Copenhagen'' (1946). The novel takes place in the 18th century, mostly in
Iceland
Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...
and
Denmark
Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
. Like many of Laxness's works, the story paints a tragic and ironic picture of the terrible state of the Icelandic populace in the 18th century.
Plot summary
Part 1 – ''Iceland's Bell''
The first part tells the story of the farmer Jón Hreggviðsson and his battle with the
Iceland
Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...
ic authorities. Jón is sentenced to death for the murder of an executioner, an official of the
King of Denmark
The monarchy of Denmark is a constitutional political system, institution and a historic office of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Kingdom includes Denmark proper and the autonomous administrative division, autonomous territories of the Faroe Is ...
, but manages to flee from Iceland to Denmark, where he hopes to get an interview with the King to persuade him to grant a pardon.
Part 2 – ''The Bright Jewel'' or ''The Fair Maiden''
Snæfríður Íslandssól (lit. "Snow-Beautiful Iceland's-Sun") is the protagonist in the second part. She is in love with a collector of manuscripts named Arnas Arnaeus but is married to a drunkard. This character is based on an actual historical figure, Thordis Jónsdóttir, who was the daughter of the bishop of Hólar and was widely considered at the time to be the most beautiful woman in southern Iceland. Her husband, squire Magnús Sigurðsson, was wealthy and well-fed, as well as a violent alcoholic.
Part 3 – ''Fire in Copenhagen''
The third part is about Arnas Arnaeus the manuscript-collector and the fate of his collection in Copenhagen. In the end, Arnas does not marry the woman of his heart, Snæfríður, but stays with his rich Danish wife who financed his life's work.
Background
The character Arnas Arnæus is based on
Árni Magnússon
Árni Magnússon (; 13 November 1663 – 7 January 1730) was an Icelandic scholar and collector of manuscripts who assembled the Arnamagnæan Manuscript Collection.
Early life and education
Árni was born in 1663 at Kvennabrekka in Dalasýsl ...
, an Icelandic scholar who collected and preserved a great deal of medieval manuscripts. The Icelandic painter
Jóhannes Kjarval
Johannes is a Medieval Latin form of the personal name that usually appears as "John" in English language contexts. It is a variant of the Greek and Classical Latin variants (Ιωάννης, '' Ioannes''), itself derived from the Hebrew name '' Ye ...
depicts the "cutting down the bell" scene from ''Íslandsklukkan'' in
a painting of the same title that currently hangs in th
Kjarvalstadir museum in
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the Capital city, capital and largest city in Iceland. It is located in southwestern Iceland on the southern shore of Faxaflói, the Faxaflói Bay. With a latitude of 64°08′ N, the city is List of northernmost items, the worl ...
.
1943 Icelandic novels
Historical novels
Novels by Halldór Laxness
Novels set in Iceland
Novels set in Denmark
Novels set in the 18th century
Icelandic-language novels
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