Identity
In the opening section, Dinesen narrates events that took place 150 years ago in the Danish countryside. The story focuses on two young characters: Sigismund, who is 24, and Lovisa, who is 19. They are recently married, having tied the knot just a week ago. From Dinesen’s point of view—both creatively and philosophically—these details hold importance because a person's identity is largely influenced by their environment, the particular time, and location they inhabit. Sigismund is portrayed as a "squire," a gentleman-farmer who owns land, which defines his societal role. Lovisa is portrayed as a devoted wife to this gentleman-farmer. Their identities are primarily shaped by tradition and geography rather than individuality. They have yet to transcend their milieu to fully develop individualistic identities, still mirroring the rural setting where they grew up and the roles they have been given. Interestingly, Lovisa views Sigismund’s passion for scientific sheep-farming as immature, merely an act, yet she fails to see her own pretensions or lack of maturity. Identity is something one grows into over time.
Furthermore, identity—healthy identity—is a fusion of personal characteristics shaped by experience and a deeply rooted connection with institutions and norms, such as business and marriage, or the ethical and legal standards widely accepted by one's community. According to Dinesen, identity requires a careful balancing act that each person must maintain with awareness and precision. The dynamic between an individual and society, along with societal norms, often involves tension, as individuals frequently need to sacrifice personal ambitions for the sake of community harmony or for particular individuals within that community, akin to the compromises made in marriage.
Duty and Responsibility
Dinesen argued that people are born into a pre-existing world that they did not create, which places certain unavoidable demands on them. Some of these demands are biological: at birth, a person is assigned the traits of a particular sex and the inevitable limitations of mortality. Tradition also imposes constraints, with norms and standards shaping the moral consensus of a society. Over centuries, morality has developed to protect against actions that disrupt communal harmony and cause distress. Sigismund is tasked with succeeding in sheep farming to ensure his wife does not fall into poverty; he must commit to his responsibilities, even if it means offering less emotional attention to his wife than she might wish. The wedding ring represents not only their union but also their connection to centuries of tradition and the wisdom embedded in those customs.
The Meaning of Life
Prior to meeting the thief, Lovisa is convinced she knows the meaning of life: to love her husband and to be loved in return. However, this encounter rattles her confidence. Parting with her wedding ring in an attempt to secure her safety forces her to view marriage—the foundation of her new life—from a troubling new angle.
Consciousness
According to Dinesen, consciousness is an outward awareness of oneself and one's circumstances. Lovisa evolves from a naive satisfaction with her life to a state of troubled dissatisfaction, marking her transition from unconsciousness to consciousness, which is triggered by a violent incident. On the other hand, Sigismund remains preoccupied with the practical duties of squiredom. Lovisa deceives Sigismund, asserting she has "no idea" what happened to her ring, while she is fully aware of the reality. At the same time, she starts to view her life in a new and shocking light, almost as if she is observing herself with detached objectivity. The thief, with his untamed appearance and silence, represents the peril of unconscious or primal impulses, like those related to sexuality.
Sex
Dinesen reveals to the reader that Lovisa was recently still...
(This entire section contains 142 words.)
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involved in youthful activities like playing with dolls, indicating she is in a pre-sexual stage. Like a child, Lovisa creates a plan to entice her husband into a game of hide-and-seek. Although they have been married for a week, it remains uncertain if the couple has consummated their marriage. Throughout the story, Sigismund is preoccupied with his farm, paying little attention to his wife, which contrasts with Lovisa’s visions of marital happiness.
Some interpret her journey into the glade as a metaphor for sexual penetration, and her encounter with the thief features various sexually suggestive elements, such as the thief unsheathing and resheathing a bloody knife and taking her handkerchief, a symbol of virginity. Sigismund’s plan to enhance his livestock by bringing in English stud animals also carries sexual connotations.
Violence and Cruelty
The farmers bring up the issue of violence during their conversation about the sheep thief, and Lovisa discovers the root of this violence in the glade. Dinesen suggests that violence and cruelty are ingrained in human nature. Despite being unpleasant, they also indicate vitality, similar to the "will-to-power" described by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Therefore, violence and cruelty embody the force that fuels creative pursuits and heightens awareness. For those brimming with vitality, the task is to direct their energy and will-to-power toward creation rather than destruction. In Dinesen’s Nietzschean view, art represents the conversion of violence, and every example of beauty, like Lovisa’s glade, contains an aspect of violence.