The Wreath: Kristin Lavransdatter #1

In the final section of the novel, Lavrans is able to come to terms with Kristin’s love and fidelity to Erlend and consents to the marriage. Before giving his consent, however, Lavrans makes it clear that his opinion of Erlend has not changed and that he doesn’t trust him.

In the springtime, the visit of Brother Edvin to the village enlivens everyone’s spirits. Though in very poor health, his mere presence acts as a soothing balm to Kristin, her family, and many of the villagers who consider him a living saint. Kristin is especially kind to the elderly monk, expressing her gratitude for Edvin’s love and care for her over the years. Brother Edvin, of all the men in Kristin’s life, is the only one who knows the full extent of her actions, and thus he is the only one in whom she can completely confide. While they spend time together, Kristin weeps over her actions and grieves for all the pain that her choices have caused, especially for her father. As she says, “if he knew everything, then he would surely withdraw all his affection from me” (259). Brother Edvin her, however, correcting her doubts about her father’s love and telling her that all that nothing could cause her father to stop loving her. When Brother Edvin finally dies, a part of Kristin dies as well, since he was the only one who had known the real Kristin in all her sinfulness. He was a father figure from whom she did not fear judgment, and while she loves Lavrans, she constantly fears that he resents her actions even though he consents to her marriage.

The novel leaves the future of Kristin’s relationship with Erlend ambiguous. Once they have finally been married, Kristin expects to finally feel at peace and have things go back to normal. She discovers, however, that this is not the case, and the last image of Kristin is her entering the bridal chamber with Erlend, exhausted and delirious. Undset does not hint at whether Erlend will become a faithful husband or continue in his adulterous ways, as Eline warned Kristin. Neither is it clear whether Kristin will be happy once she is married and has Erlend’s child. The only thing that is clear is that Kristin has made final transition from innocence to experience; in marrying Erlend her coming-of-age is complete, and she must deal with the consequences of her decisions, whatever they may be.

The final words of the novel are spoken by Lavrans and Ragnfrid as they grapple with their daughter’s marriage to Erlend as well as with the revelations about their own sinful and hidden pasts. Lavrans comes to terms with the fact that he has never loved Ragnfrid the way that he wishes he could and that this has kept him closed off and emotionally unavailable for most of their marriage. For her part, Ragnfrid admits that she had been in love with another man before she met Lavrans, and that she was not actually a virgin when they had been married. Struggling with their newfound perspective on their relationship, Lavrans and Ragnfrid have to grapple with the fact that their daughter is not so unlike them. It puts their judgment of Kristin and Erlend based on Christian morality into perspective. They realize that, despite their piety, they are hypocrites for not having followed the Church’s rules in their own life, and, moreover, keeping the truth a secret from one another. With the parallel relationships, Undset makes a subtle commentary that no one is without sin but that each person must live with their actions, regardless of the sins that others have committed.