Guilt and Remorse

Where it surfaces

• II: The Beggar

  Gösta's guilt over his past and his suicidal thoughts are central; Margareta also expresses remorse for her lost innocence and the person she once was.

• III: Christmas Day

  Gösta Berling is consumed by guilt over Ebba Dohna's suicide, which prevents him from acting to help the major's wife.

• VI: The Ball at Ekeby

  Gösta's guilt and self-loathing after Marianne's words, feeling that being loved by him is a disgrace worse than death.

• VII: The Old Vehicles

  The major's wife is burdened by her mother's curse, driving her actions to seek redemption for her home.

• VIII: The Great Bear in Gurlitta Cliff

  Gösta feels guilt and pity for the persecuted bear, seeing it as a fellow victim of hatred and violence.

• Ghost-Stories

  Anna Stjärnhök feels bitter remorse after sacrificing her beloved; Ulrika Dillner is consumed by shame and regret for marrying Sintram.

• Ebba Dohna's Story

  Anna Stjärnhök is consumed by guilt after revealing Ebba's story and causing Gösta's rejection, while Gösta himself carries the burden of Ebba's death.

• XIII: Mamselle Marie

  Countess Märta's lack of remorse after humiliating Mamselle Marie contrasts with the young countess's attempt to make amends, highlighting differing responses to guilt.

• II: The Paths of Life

  The countess is driven by guilt for condemning Gösta, and her remorse compels her to act despite the dangers.

• III: Penitence

  Elizabeth is consumed by guilt for loving Gösta Berling, leading her to confess and embrace suffering as a form of penance, believing pain is the only path to purity.

• The Iron from Ekeby

  The pensioners feel the weight of their failures as they witness nature's scorn and the threat to Ekeby's reputation, driving their desperate plan.

• The Witch of Dovre

  The narrator expresses guilt for portraying Countess Märta harshly, reflecting on how a starved soul turns destructive, linking to remorse.

• XI: The Plaster Saints

  Count Dohna's attempt to whitewash the church is a public act of penance for his cruel treatment of his wife, yet his pride undermines his repentance.

• XIII: The Churchyard

  Acquilon's suicide and burial outside the churchyard highlight themes of guilt, societal judgment, and the desire for atonement.

• XIV: Old Songs

  Marianne struggles with guilt over her hatred for her father, and later feels remorse when he suffers a stroke, leading to a change in her heart.

• XV: Death, the Deliverer

  The captain's wife confesses her guilt in praying for her son's death, and Anna struggles with remorse over her lack of true love for Ferdinand.

• XVI: The Drought

  Both Gösta and the clergyman grapple with guilt over their past failures, and the clergyman's prayer is driven by remorse for his sins.

• XVII: The Child’s Mother

  Elizabeth is driven by guilt over depriving her child of a father, while Gösta feels remorse for his past and for potentially ruining Elizabeth's life.

• XIX: The Broom-Girl

  Gösta feels guilt over the broom-girl's fate, and Elizabeth is consumed by shame for her past love.

• Broby Fair

  Beerencreutz and Gösta Berling feel guilt for their prank; the community's testimony highlights the weight of remorse and the need for atonement.

• The Forest Cottage

  Gösta is driven by overwhelming guilt over Captain Lennart's death, leading him to a suicidal pact and self-destructive wandering.