Money (Pengar) - Victoria Benedictsson

Art. no. 216584003 24 Apr 2025

Pengar (1885; Money) is Victoria Benedictsson's debut novel, published under the pseudonym Ernst Ahlgren. The novel depicts a young woman's journey from naivety to self-awareness within the framework of a marriage characterized by economic motives.

Money follows sixteen-year-old Selma Berg, a lively girl with dreams of becoming an artist. Under pressure from her surroundings, she marries the much older and wealthy Pål Kristersson, despite the lack of love. The marriage becomes a trap that stifles her ambitions and longing for freedom. Through Selma's development from youthful innocence to a woman with insight into the injustices of society, Benedictsson criticizes the contemporary marriage laws and the subordinate position of women. The novel highlights how economic factors govern women's life choices and limit their independence.