Gutenberg Articles

Appearance

Excerpt ​

Excerpt from Boyhood in Norway: Stories of Boy-Life in the Land of the Midnight Sun, by Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen

But in the next moment he heard a fall and an oath, and the voice was
that of Halvor Reitan. He breathed a little more freely as he saw the
river run with its swelling current at his feet. Quite mechanically,
without clearly knowing what he did, he sprang into the boat, grabbed
a boat-hook, and with three strong strokes pushed himself out into the
deep water.

At that instant a dozen of his pursuers reached the river bank, and
he saw dimly their angry faces and threatening gestures, and heard the
stones drop into the stream about him. Fortunately the river was partly
dammed, in order to accumulate water for the many saw-mills under the
falls. It would therefore have been no very difficult feat to paddle
across, if his aching arms had had an atom of strength left in them. As
soon as he was beyond the reach of flying stones he seated himself in
the stern, took an oar, and after having bathed his throbbing forehead
in the cold water, managed, in fifteen minutes, to make the further
bank. Then he dragged himself wearily up the hill-side to Colonel Hook’s
mansion, and when he had given his message to Viggo, fell into a dead
faint.

How could Viggo help being touched by such devotion? He had seen the
race through a fieldglass from his pigeon-cot, but had been unable to
make out its meaning, nor had he remotely dreamed that he was himself
the cause of the cruel chase. He called his mother, who soon perceived
that Marcus’s coat was saturated with blood in the back, and undressing
him, she found that a stone, hurled by a sling, had struck him, slid a
few inches along the rib, and had lodged in the fleshy part of his left
side.

Explanation ​

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Boyhood in Norway ​

Context of the Source ​

Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen (1848–1895) was a Norwegian-American author, critic, and professor who wrote extensively about Scandinavian life and folklore. Boyhood in Norway: Stories of Boy-Life in the Land of the Midnight Sun (1872) is a collection of semi-autobiographical tales depicting the adventures, struggles, and coming-of-age experiences of young boys in 19th-century Norway. The stories often emphasize themes of bravery, loyalty, nature, and the harsh realities of rural life.

This excerpt appears to be from a story involving Marcus, a boy who endures a violent pursuit to deliver a message to Viggo, the son of Colonel Hook. The passage captures a moment of intense physical and emotional strain, followed by a revelation of injury and the emotional response of those who witness Marcus’s sacrifice.

Themes in the Excerpt ​

  1. Sacrifice and Devotion

    • Marcus risks his life to deliver a message to Viggo, enduring a brutal chase, physical exhaustion, and injury. His actions are driven by loyalty, suggesting a deep bond (possibly friendship, duty, or honor).
    • Viggo’s emotional response ("How could Viggo help being touched by such devotion?") underscores the moral weight of selfless acts in the story.

  2. Survival and Endurance

    • The passage is filled with visceral details of Marcus’s physical struggle—aching arms, throbbing forehead, blood-soaked coat—highlighting the brutal reality of survival in a harsh environment.
    • The river, while a means of escape, is also a natural obstacle, reinforcing the theme of man vs. nature.

  3. Violence and Cruelty

    • The pursuers (likely bullies or enemies) are depicted as merciless, hurling stones and using a sling to wound Marcus. Their "angry faces and threatening gestures" suggest a world where conflict is resolved through brute force.
    • The injury—"a stone... had struck him, slid a few inches along the rib, and had lodged in the fleshy part of his left side"—is described with clinical precision, emphasizing the cost of Marcus’s bravery.

  4. Misunderstanding and Revelation

    • Viggo watches the chase but does not initially realize it is for him, creating dramatic irony. His later shock ("he had been unable to make out its meaning") adds tension—what message was so urgent that it nearly cost Marcus his life?

  5. Class and Social Hierarchy

    • The mention of Colonel Hook’s mansion suggests a contrast between Marcus (likely of humble origins) and Viggo (from a wealthy, possibly aristocratic family). This dynamic may play into themes of duty, patronage, or social obligation.

Literary Devices & Stylistic Analysis ​

  1. Sensory Imagery & Realism

    • Visual: "he saw dimly their angry faces and threatening gestures" – The blurred, chaotic vision conveys Marcus’s exhaustion and fear.
    • Auditory: "a fall and an oath" – The suddenness of sound heightens tension.
    • Tactile: "bathed his throbbing forehead in the cold water" – The coldness contrasts with his pain, offering brief relief.
    • Kinesthetic: "with three strong strokes pushed himself out into the deep water" – The physical exertion is palpable, immersing the reader in Marcus’s struggle.

  2. Pacing & Suspense

    • The passage moves rapidly from action ("sprang into the boat") to near-collapse ("fell into a dead faint"), mirroring Marcus’s adrenaline-fueled escape and subsequent exhaustion.
    • The delayed revelation of Marcus’s injury ("his coat was saturated with blood") creates a shocking twist, deepening the stakes.

  3. Foreshadowing & Irony

    • Viggo’s ignorance of the chase’s cause ("nor had he remotely dreamed that he was himself the cause") sets up future conflict or resolution—why was Marcus being pursued? What was the message?
    • The mention of the pigeon-cot (a small structure for birds) from which Viggo watches the chase may symbolize his detached, privileged perspective, contrasting with Marcus’s ground-level suffering.

  4. Symbolism

    • The River: Represents both escape and danger. Its "swelling current" mirrors the rising tension, while the dammed water (for sawmills) suggests human control over nature—a temporary respite for Marcus.
    • The Stone: The weapon that wounds Marcus could symbolize the weight of duty or the violence inherent in his world.

  5. Free Indirect Discourse

    • The narration occasionally blends Marcus’s exhausted perspective ("Quite mechanically, without clearly knowing what he did") with the omniscient narrator’s observations, creating intimacy with the character’s mental state.

Significance of the Passage ​

  1. Character Development

    • Marcus is established as a selfless, resilient figure, willing to endure extreme hardship for others. His physical and emotional state humanizes him, making his suffering visceral for the reader.
    • Viggo’s reaction suggests he is capable of empathy and gratitude, hinting at a deeper bond between the boys that may develop further in the story.

  2. Cultural & Historical Insight

    • The excerpt reflects 19th-century Norwegian rural life, where survival often depended on physical endurance, and conflicts (personal or communal) could turn violent quickly.
    • The use of a sling (an ancient weapon) and the sawmills (indicating a pre-industrial but resource-dependent economy) ground the story in its historical setting.

  3. Moral & Emotional Impact

    • The passage evokes pity and admiration for Marcus, reinforcing themes of loyalty overcoming adversity. The reader is left wondering:
      • What was the message that justified such risk?
      • Will Viggo reciprocate Marcus’s devotion?
      • Who are the pursuers, and why do they hate Marcus?

  4. Narrative Tension

    • The cliffhanger of Marcus’s injury and faint sets up future plot developments—will he recover? Will Viggo take action against his pursuers? The unresolved questions drive the story forward.

Conclusion: Why This Excerpt Matters ​

This passage is a microcosm of the larger themes in Boyhood in Norway—bravery in the face of hardship, the bonds of friendship, and the brutal beauty of nature. Boyesen’s vivid, almost cinematic prose immerses the reader in Marcus’s ordeal, making his suffering and devotion feel immediate and real. The contrast between Viggo’s sheltered perspective and Marcus’s raw endurance adds depth, suggesting broader social and moral questions about duty, class, and sacrifice.

The excerpt leaves a lasting impression not just because of its action, but because of its emotional honesty—Marcus’s exhaustion, pain, and faint are not glorified; they are presented as the real cost of heroism, making his devotion all the more poignant.