Character guide

Kristin Lavransdatter

major

Also known as Kristin, Loptsgaard Kristin, little Kristin, Kristin Sigurdsdatter, Kristen

Kristin grows up at Jörundgaard as her father's favorite, riding behind him to church and playing at mass with the priest's grandchildren by the roadside stone. Her mother's heavy silence and her father's warmth shape a girl who trusts her own heart over counsel. When she meets Erlend Nikulaussön, that trust becomes both her glory and her undoing, setting the whole saga in motion.

Erlend Nikulaussön

major

Also known as Erlend, Erlend of Husaby

Erlend comes to Kristin already entangled in old shames, including a stolen woman and a dead rival, yet he woos her with a fervor that sweeps aside every warning. He confesses his sins to a priest and promises a secret wedding, but his habit of rushing headlong into desire leaves others to bear the wreckage. His love forces Kristin to choose between her father's world and a future no one will bless.

Lavrans Björgulfsön

major

Also known as Lavrans, Holy Cross Lavrans Björgulfsön

Lavrans is the man neighbors come to for help, even those who have feuded with him, and he gives without asking return. His faith is not harsh but lived, and his tenderness toward Kristin makes her secrets unbearable to her. When he learns what she has done, his grief and steadiness force the novel's central reckoning between love and honor.

Ragnfrid Ivarsdatter

supporting

Also known as Ragnfrid

Ragnfrid corrects and chides where Lavrans plays and jests, and Kristin grows up feeling the weight of her mother's silence without knowing its source. The birth of little Ulvhild briefly restores Ragnfrid's bloom and gentleness, showing what joy might have been hers. Her grief and her sharp judgments of Erlend shape Kristin's sense of what a wife must endure and what a mother can forgive.

Lady Aashild Gautesdatter

supporting

Also known as Lady Aashild of Haugen, Aashild, Moster Aashild

Lady Aashild takes Erlend into her closet and dismantles his plans with brutal practicality, warning that a secret wedding will leave Kristin a concubine in the eyes of the law. She has said too many things in her time, she admits, and now her careless words have helped push the lovers toward ruin. Her clear-eyed skepticism gives the novel its sharpest moral counterweight to romantic self-justification.

Simon Andressön

supporting

Also known as Simon Darre, Simon, Truly Simon

Simon is the good match Lavrans arranged, comely and of good kindred, and he loves Kristin with a patience she never returns. When he finds her with Erlend at Fluga's house, he does not rage but forces Erlend to promise a proper suit, then walks Kristin home through the fog to spare her father shame. His steadiness becomes the standard against which Erlend's recklessness is measured throughout the early and middle arc.

Brother Edvin

supporting

Also known as Edvin, Jörundgaard Brother Edvin

Brother Edvin arrives at Jörundgaard a dying man, and the household tends him with such tenderness that his hearth-room becomes a place of pilgrimage for the whole parish. His speech is dark and veiled, yet everyone who listens feels strengthened, because they can see he is wholly filled with the love of God. He asks for news of the drought and the old abominations in the hills as readily as he asks for the Miracles of the Virgin, and in his childlike suffering he becomes the story's quiet measure of what holiness actually costs.

Eline Ormsdatter

supporting

Also known as Eline

Eline belongs to the world of Erlend's life before Kristin — a world of obligations and entanglements that neither love nor distance has fully dissolved. She never appears as a rival in the ordinary sense; she is a fact, a prior claim, the kind of thing a proud young woman like Kristin cannot simply will out of existence. Her shadow falls across the early happiness of Kristin and Erlend, forcing the reader to ask what it means to love a man whose past is not clean.

Ulvhild Lavransdatter

minor

Also known as little Ulvhild, Ulvhild

Kristin's younger sister, crippled by an accident and later dies young.

Ingebjörg Filippusdatter

minor

Also known as Ingebjörg, the flighty Ingebjörg

Kristin's lively friend at the convent, later a nun.

Arne Gyrdsön

minor

Also known as Arne, VI Arne

Loyal farmhand at Jörundgaard, secretly in love with Kristin.

Sira Eirik

minor

Also known as Eirik

Local priest at the church near Jörundgaard, a trusted spiritual figure.

Sir Munan Baardsön

minor

Also known as Munan, Sir Munan, Dumpy Munan

Erlend's worldly and scheming uncle, involved in political intrigues.

Bentein Priestson

minor

Also known as Bentein, Bentein Priest

Troublemaking son of a priest, who causes conflict for Kristin's family.

Lady Groa Guttormsdatter

minor

Also known as Groa, the Lady Groa

Wealthy widow and relative of Lavrans, hostess at a key gathering.

Sir Björn

minor

Also known as Björn, Björn Gunnarsön

Knight and friend of Erlend, involved in his adventures.

Sister Potentia

minor

Nun at Nonneseter convent, teacher and supervisor of the novices.

Aasmund Björgulfsön

minor

Also known as Aasmund

Lavrans's younger brother, a priest and later bishop.

King Haakon the Old

minor

Also known as King Haakon, Haakon

Aging king of Norway, appears briefly in court scenes.

Father Ingjald

minor

Also known as Ingjald, our reverend Father Ingjald

Monk and spiritual advisor to Lavrans and his family.

Trond Ivarsön of Sundbu

minor

Also known as Trond Ivarsön, Trond

Ragnfrid's brother, a gruff but supportive uncle to Kristin.

Ulf Haldorsön

minor

Also known as Ulf

Erlend's loyal servant and companion, later a friend to Kristin.

Brynhild Fluga

minor

Also known as Brynhild, Fluga

Woman at a feast who gossips about Kristin and Erlend.

Sira Sigurd

minor

Also known as Sigurd, Saksulvsön

Priest at the convent where Kristin stays, stern but fair.

Sister Cecilia Baardsdatter

minor

Also known as Cecilia, Sister Cecilia

Nun at Nonneseter, relative of Erlend, helps Kristin.

Sir Erlend

minor

Also known as Erlend

Erlend's father, mentioned but appears in flashback.

Inga of Finsbrekken

minor

Also known as Inga, Finsbrekken

Poor woman who nurses Ulvhild after her accident.

Sir Andres Gudmundsön

minor

Also known as Sir Andres, Andres, Andres Darre

Simon Darre's father, a wealthy landowner.

Tordis

minor

Servant woman at Jörundgaard, loyal to the family.

Sir Baard Petersön

minor

Also known as Baard, Sir Baard

Knight and friend of Erlend, accompanies him on travels.

Gyrd

minor

Son of Lavrans's neighbor, briefly a suitor to Kristin.

Didrek

minor

Servant at Jörundgaard, involved in farm work.

Halvdan

minor

Farmhand at Jörundgaard, loyal to Lavrans.

Ramborg

minor

Also known as little Ramborg

Kristin's younger sister, later marries Simon Darre.

Isrid

minor

Servant woman at Jörundgaard, helps raise the children.

Old Gunhild

minor

Also known as Gunhild

Elderly servant at Jörundgaard, known for her wisdom.

Helga

minor

Young servant girl at Jörundgaard, companion to Kristin.

Guldsveinen

minor

Nickname for a mysterious man who appears at a wedding.

Sister Astrid

minor

Also known as Astrid

Nun at Nonneseter, kind to Kristin during her stay.

Lady Halfrid

minor

Widow and friend of Lady Aashild, hosts a gathering.

Lady Angerd

minor

Woman at a feast, gossips about Kristin's scandal.

Sira Jon

minor

Also known as Jon, old Jon

Priest at a nearby church, performs marriages.

Sigurd of Loptsgaard

minor

Also known as Sigurd, Loptsgaard

Neighbor and friend of Lavrans, a landowner.

Queen Margret Skulesdatter

minor

Also known as Margret, Queen

Queen of Norway, appears briefly at court.

Lady Ingebjörg Haakonsdatter

minor

Also known as Ingebjörg, Lady Ingebjörg in Sweden

Swedish noblewoman, mentioned in political context.

Sir Laurentius

minor

Also known as Laurentius, the Lagmand

Lawman and judge, appears in a legal matter.

Ivar Sir Alfsön

minor

Also known as Ivar

Son of a knight, briefly a suitor to Kristin.

Gunnulv

minor

Servant at Jörundgaard, helps with farm tasks.

Tomas

minor

Servant at Jörundgaard, accompanies Kristin on trips.

Lady Katrin

minor

Also known as Lady Katrin the Ready-witted

Witty noblewoman at a feast, comments on Kristin.

Gyrid of Skog

minor

Also known as Gyrid, Skog

Woman from a neighboring farm, appears at a gathering.

Trond Gjesling

minor

Also known as Trond

Member of the Gjesling family, involved in a feud.

Björgulv

minor

Servant at Jörundgaard, mentioned in passing.

Steinulv

minor

Servant at Jörundgaard, helps with errands.

Geirhild Drivsdatter

minor

Woman from a distant farm, briefly mentioned.

Gissur Arnfinsön

minor

Also known as Gissur

Man from a neighboring district, appears in a legal matter.

Ivar Gjesling

minor

Member of the Gjesling family, mentioned in a feud.

Canon Martein

minor

Church official, appears in a religious context.

King Magnus Haakonsön

minor

Also known as King Magnus

Son of King Haakon, briefly mentioned as heir.

King Inga

minor

Also known as Inga

Historical king, mentioned in passing.

Duke Eirik

minor

Also known as Duke

Norwegian duke, appears briefly in court.

Haftor

minor

Servant at Jörundgaard, mentioned in passing.