Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden Norway and Denmark

Mary Wollstonecraft (17591797) published this book the last before her death in childbirth in 1796. The twenty-five letters are an account of a daring wartime trip to Scandinavia to attempt to retrieve a stolen ship for her lover the American adventurer Gilbert Imlay. Her letters describe the people and culture she encountered as well as the beautiful natural surroundings she observed. But in addition to a travelogue these letters include political reflections on controversial topics such as prison reform as well as revealing a very personal story of inner turmoil and dislocation. Wollstonecraft''s letters were written at a difficult period in her life - she had recently attempted suicide - and their themes and emotional content influenced the Romantic poets of the following generation even though the book''s initial popularity waned after her death. For more information on this author see orlando.cambridge.org/public/svPeople?person_id=wollma