Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark

Mary Wollstonecraft's account of her voyage to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, first published in 1796, is fascinating both for its portrait of nations little-visited during the Regency era and for its insights into Mary's personal life. No less vivid than her sorrowful outbursts are her scenic descriptions and political observations on Norway, as well as her experiences with a poor peasants and Danish townspeople who are ruthlessly consumed by business. She sent these letters to Gilbert Imlay, the father of her child and her unfaithful boyfriend. This work is crucial to comprehending the Godwin-Shelley circle since it drew William Godwin to the author, who would later marry him and give birth to Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein. Read more