# Countess Märta Dohna — The Story of Gösta Berling character guide

> Countess Märta Dohna in The Story of Gösta Berling by Selma Lagerlöf.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** the young Countess Dohna, Countess Dohna, Märta Dohna, Countess Märta

**First appearance:** 0014-part-i-x-the-young-countess

## Snapshot

A proud, scheming matriarch who will sacrifice her own daughter-in-law's honor to keep the Dohna name spotless and her household under her thumb.

## Who they are

Countess Märta rules the Dohna family with cold elegance, and when her son Henrik brings home the young Countess Elizabeth, she sees a rival rather than a daughter. She spreads poison about Elizabeth's midnight wanderings with Gösta Berling, twisting innocent acts into scandal to drive the girl from her home. Her manipulations matter because they force Elizabeth into the moral crucible at the heart of the novel, where love, shame, and the courage to confess collide.

## In the story

### [III: Christmas Day](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_g_sta_berling_se/chapters/part-i-iii-christmas-day)

Sits at the big table, her low laugh rings out during the dinner.

### [Ebba Dohna's Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_g_sta_berling_se/chapters/part-i-xii-ebba-dohna-s-story)

Mentioned as Ebba's mother, who pressured Ebba to marry Gösta despite his past.

### [XIII: Mamselle Marie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_g_sta_berling_se/chapters/part-i-xiii-mamselle-marie)

The far-famed countess who arrives at Borg, befriends Mamselle Marie, then publicly humiliates her by mimicking her farewell song.

### [I: Cousin Christopher](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_g_sta_berling_se/chapters/part-ii-i-cousin-christopher)

The object of Cousin Christopher's affection; her mockery of poverty leads to his rejection of her.

### [II: The Paths of Life](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_g_sta_berling_se/chapters/part-ii-ii-the-paths-of-life)

The young countess's mother-in-law, who would not permit her to drive to Ekeby.

### [III: Penitence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_g_sta_berling_se/chapters/part-ii-iii-penitence)

Märta manipulates her son Henrik into believing Elizabeth is unfaithful, then takes control of Elizabeth's punishment, subjecting her to psychological torment.

### [The Iron from Ekeby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_g_sta_berling_se/chapters/part-ii-iv-the-iron-from-ekeby)

Accompanies her son in the search and correctly deduces that the young countess is on the pensioners' barge.

### [The Witch of Dovre](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_g_sta_berling_se/chapters/part-ii-vi-the-witch-of-dovre)

Mistress at Borg; refuses the witch's demand and is cursed, leading to a siege of magpies that drives her to terror and despair.

### [XI: The Plaster Saints](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_g_sta_berling_se/chapters/part-ii-xi-the-plaster-saints)

Flees Borg with her son after the incident, trembling and veiled, unable to bear the shame.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_g_sta_berling_se/characters/countess_marta_dohna
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_g_sta_berling_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_g_sta_berling_se/characters