Widowhood in Scandinavia - An introduction

Scandinavian Journal of History

Volumn 29, Issue 3-4, 2004, Pages 171-191

  Johansen, Hanne Marie ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF BERGEN   (Norway)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 37049031312     PISSN: 03468755     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/03468750410008798     Document Type: Review

References (84)

1. I. Blom, "The History of Widowhood: A Bibliographic Overview", Journal of Family History, vol. 16, no. 2 (1991), pp. 191-210.
2. There is an extensive annotated bibliography of scholarship on widowhood, available in English and several European languages in: S. Cavallo & L. Warner, eds. Widowhood in Medieval and Early Modern Europe (Oxford, 1999).
3. A.-S. Kälvemark, "The country that kept track of its population: Methodological aspects of Swedish population records", Scandinavian Journal of History, vol. 2, no, 2 (1977), pp. 211-30;
4. H. C. Johansen, "Identifying people in the Danish past", in H. Sandvik, K. Telste & G. Thorvaldsen, eds. Pathways of the Past. Essays in Honour of Sølvi Sogner on her 70th anniversary 15 March 2002 (Oslo, 2002), pp. 103-110;
5. P. Laslett, "Necessary knowledge: Age and aging in the societies of the past", in D.I. Kertzer & P. Laslett, eds. Aging in the Past: Demography, society, and old age (Berkeley, Los Angeles, London, 1995), pp. 8-9;
6. C. Lundh. "Households and families in pre-industrial Sweden", Continuity and Change, vol. 10, no. 1 (1995), pp. 33-68.
7. I mention Norway as an example: In 1815, some 11-12% was urban, 15% in 1845, and in 1875 25. R. Danielsen et al. (eds.), Norway. A history from the Vikings to our Own Times (Oslo, 1995), p. 231.
8. N. Floor Clausen, "Enkestanden i Danmark 1801. En analyse av en specifik social gruppes leveforhold, basert på den komplette 1801 folketælling", Metode & Data, no. 89 (2003), pp. 38 49. Typically in 2000 between 79 to 84 percent of all the widowed in the Nordic countries were women: http://wwv.ssb.no/samfunnsspeilet/utg/200201/06/tab-2002-02-28-02. html
9. I. Blom, "Widowhood: From the Poor Law Society to the Welfare Society: The Case of Norway, 1875-1964"', Journal of Women's History, vol. 4, no. 2 (1992),
10. I. Bull, "Enkers levebrød i et før-industrielt bysamfunn", in Historisk tidsskrift (Norge), vol. 65, no. 3 (1986), pp. 318-342.
11. Adult women in Scandinavia did not have full legal competence until the last decades of the 19th century, and partly not until well after 1900, unless they were widowed. See: I. Blom, "Noen hovedlinjer gjennom lowerket fra 18- og 1900-tallet", I. Blom & A. Tranberg, eds. Nordisk lovoversikt. Viktige lover for kvinner ca. 1810-1980 (Oslo, 1985), pp. 12-13.
12. S. Klassen, "Widows and Widowers", Encyclopedia of European Social History (New York, 2001), pp. 207-17.
13. S. Sogner & J. Dupaquier, "Introduction", in J. Dupãquier et al., eds. Marriage and Remarriage in Populations of the Past (London, 1981), pp. 1-12;
14. H. C. Johansen, Danish population history: 1600-1939 (Odense, 2002), p. 69.
15. About aging, see A. K. Högman, Aging in a Changing Society. Elderly Men and Women in Urban Sweden 1830-1930 (Umeå, 1999);
16. An opposite viewpoint, that has been brought forward in European research on widowhood, is that the resourceful had good family connections and were welcomed in households of adult children etc. They did not set up own households. See R. Wall, "Elderly widows and widowers and their coresidents in late 19th-and early 20th-century England and Wales", The History of the Family 2002, vol. 7, no. 1;
17. B. Todd, "Widows and widowhood. Europe 1450 to 1789", in J. Dewald, ed. Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World, vol. 6 (New York, 2004), pp. 208-210.
18. A. M. Erickson, "Women and Property in Early Modern England" (London, 1995).
19. H. Sandvik, Kvinners rettslige handkevne på 1600- og 1700-tallet, med linjer fram til gifte kvinners myndighet i 1888 (Oslo, 2002),
20. M. Sjöberg, Kvinnors jord, manlig rätt. Äktenskap, egendom och makt i äldre tid (2001, Hedemora),
21. M. Ågren, "Caring for the Widowed Spouse. The Use of Wills in Northern Sweden during the Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries", in Continuity and change, vol. 19, no. 1 (2004).
22. Göran Inger, svensk rättshistoria (4th edn, 1997)
23. D. Tamm & J. U. Jørgensen. Dansk retshistorie i hovedpungter (København, 1973).
24. Also stressed in many new works on widowhood as in M. Ågren, "Contracts for the Old or Gifts for the Young? On the Use of Wills in Early Modern Sweden", Scandinavian Journal of History, vol. 25, no. 3 (2000).
25. On tenants' widows right in Denmark and Norway see J. R. Myking, "Når leigar rår? Vilkåra til norske leilendingar 1600-1800", Til debatt. Innlegg ved norske historiedagar 1996. Historisk institutt, Universitetet i Bergen. Shifter 3 (1996) pp. 327-339;
26. J. R. Myking, Herre over andre si jord? Norske leilendingsvilkår i europeisk lys 1500-1800 (Bergen, 2002).
27. Marriage contracts were forbidden or unmentioned in Swedish law prior to 1734, See G. Inger, Svensk rättshistoria (Malmö, 1992), p. 92.
28. An important reference is A. L. Erickson, Women and Property in Early Modern England (London, 1995).
29. A.J. De Vries has applied the concept of a demand driven "industrious revolution" to describe this situation: The whole family participated in agricultural, labour intensive work. A. J. de Vries. "Women and the Worlds of Goods. Understanding the Household Economy in Early Modern Europe", in R. Porter & J. Rewer (eds), Consumption and the World of Goods (London, 1993), pp. 85-132.
30. Women's work is a main theme in Scandinavian as in European history. See H. Sandvik, "The Early Modern Period?", I. Blom & S. Sogner, eds. Med kjønnsperspektiv på norsk historie (Oslo, 1999).
31. D. Gaunt. Familjeliv i Norden (Malmö, 1983).
32. I. Dübeck, Købekoner og konkurrence. Studier over myndigheds- og erhverosrettens udvikling med stadig henblik på kvinders historiske retsstilling (København, 1978);
33. I. Bull, "Enkers levebrød i et før-industrielt bysamfunn," Historisk Tidsskrift (Norge), vol. 65, no. 3 (1986), pp. 318 342;
34. I. Bull, "Kvinners dagligliv i borgerskapet ca. 1780 1830", Historisk Tidsskrift (Norge), vol. 69, no. 4 (1990), pp. 484-511.
35. H. Sandvik. Umyndige kvinner i handel og håndverk. Kvinner i byneringer i Christiania i siste halvdel av 1700-tallet (Oslo, 1992), pp. 104-11;
36. G. Mordt, Kvinner og neringsrett. Kvinneparagrafene i håndverksloven av 1839 og handelsloven av 1848 [i.e., 1842] (Oslo, 1993);
37. I. Artæus, Kvinorna som blev över. Ensamstående stadskvinnor under 1800-talets första hälft - fallet Västerås (Uppsala, 1992), p. 190. (With a summary' in English.)
38. A. Hörsell. Borgare, smed.er och änkor. Ekonomi och befolkning i Eskilstuna gamla stud og Fristad 1750-1850 (Uppsala, 1983), pp. 181-187. (With a summary in English.)
39. See P. Sharpe "Continuity and Change. Women's History and Economic History in Britain", The Economic History Review, vol. 48, no. 2 (1995).
40. G. Ambrosius and W. H. Hubbard. A Social and Economic History of Twentieth-century Europe (Cambridge, 2000);
41. T. Hellesund. Den norske peppermø. Om kulturell konstituring av kjønn og organisering av enslighet (Bergen, 2001).
42. S. Sogner & H. Sandvik, "Ulik i lov og lære;
43. A. Jensen, Fra selvfølge til symbol egteskabet i krydsfeltet mellem stat, kirke og befolkning i 1800-tallet (Syddansk Universitet Odense, 2003);
44. B. Mouring, "Widowhood options and strategies in pre-industrial northern Europe: Socioeconomic differences in household position of the widowed in 18th and 19th century Finland", The History of the Eamily, vol. 7, no. 1 (2002), p. 85;
45. H. Lange, Enker i Jevnaker prestegjedl. Muligheter og begrensninger for omgifte i to perioder på 1700- og 1800-tallet (Tromsø, 2002).
46. On conditions in Europe see for example: A. Fauve-Chamoux. Marriage, Widowhood, and Divorce.
47. D. I. Kertzer & M. Barbagli, eds. Vol. 1, Family Life in Early Modern Times (New Haven and London, 2001). p. 244.
48. J. Hajnal, "European marriage patterns in perspective", D. V. Glass & D. E. C. Eversley, eds. Population in History. Essays in Historieal Demography (London, 1965).
49. G. A. Gunnlaugsson. "Living arrangements of the elderly in a changing society. The case of Iceland, 1880-1930", Continuity and Change, vol. 8. no, 1 (1993), p. 120.
50. About Norway, see; B. Homlong. I votes eiende lemstue. Kårskipnaden i Etne 1716-1901. Hovudoppgåve i historie (Bergen, 1995);
51. B. Homlong, "Demografiske og økonomiske føresetnader for kårskipnaden på 1700-og 1800-tallet. Ein studie frå Etne", in Heimen, vol. 3, no. 1 (1997), pp. 163-174;
52. E. Hovdhaugen. På kår. Den gamle føderå dsskipnaden (Oslo. 1984).
53. M. Ågren, "A partnership between Unequals: The Changing Meaning of Marriage in Eighteenth-century Sweden", Eheschliessungen im Europa des 18. und 19. Jahrhunderts. Muster und Strategien (Göttingen, 2003).
54. A.-M. Skoglund. Fattigvården på den svenska landsbygdm år 1829, Rapport i socialt arbete 58 (Stockholm, 1992).
55. M. Antun. "Bygdetinget - mannsdominert arena med rom for kvinner. Kvinner på tinga i Nordhordland 1642-1668". In Heimen, vol. 36, no. 3 (1999), pp. 187-193.
56. See also R. Ormøy, "Enkers økonomiske og rettslige stilling i norsk middelalder", Historisk Tidsskrift (Norge), vol. 69, no. 4 (1990), pp. 455-470;
57. S. Sogner, Marie Linstedt Cronberg and Hilde Sandvik. Women in Court, eds. E. Österberg & S. Bauge Sogner. People meet the law (Oslo, 2000), p. 178;
58. H. Sandvik, "Kvinners rettslige handleevne. Tingbøker som kilde til forholdet mellom kjønnene," Historisk Tidsskrift, (Norge), vol. 69, no, 2 (1991), pp. 282-295.
59. G. Jacobsen, "Kommentar til Hilde Sandvik," Historisk Tidsskrift, (Norge) vol. 69, no, 2 (1991), pp. 296-299.
60. G. Andersson. Tingets kvinnor och män (Uppsala, 1998).
61. J. Dupaquier et alias., eds. Marriage and Remarriage in Populations of the Past (London, 1981).
62. S. Åkerman, "The Importance of Remarriage in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries", in J. Dupaquier et al., eds. Marriage and Remarriage in Populations of the Past (London. 1981), pp. 163-176. (see p. 169).
63. S. Dyrvik, "Gagn-pain on sentiments? Trait du remariage en Norvegeau dix-neuvieme siécle", in J. Dupaquier et al., eds. Marriage and Remarriage in Populations of the Past (London, 1981), pp. 297-306 (see p. 298).
64. S. Sogner & J. Oldervoll, "Illegitimate Fertility and the Marriage Market in Norway, 1800-1850. Regional Variations", in J. Dupaquier et al., eds. Marriage and Remarriage in Populations of the Past (London, 1981), pp. 495-510.
65. A. S. Kneppen, Giftermål og sosiale ulikheter i Ullensaker. Fra 1730-åra til 1840-åra (Master thesis. Oslo, 1976).
66. S. Sogner. "Gifte kvinner i bondesamfunnet på 1700-tallet i demografisk perspektiv", in A. Tranberg & H. Winge, eds. Kvinnerkår i det gamle samfunnet (Oslo, 1996), pp. 91-116,
67. C. Bringegård. Kvarlämnade. En undersøkning an levndsvillkoren för äknor och änklingar i Bringetofta socken under 1800-lalets förra hälft. (C-uppsats), (Växö, 1996).
68. H. M. Johansen. Separasjon og skilsmisse i Norge 1536 1909. En familie- og rettshistorisk studie (Oslo, 2001).
69. Lee, Gary R. "Widowhood", in Encyclopedia of Aging, eds. D.J. Ekerdt, vol. 4, Macmillan Reference USA 2002, pp. 1495-1499. (4 vols. Gale Virtual Reference Library, New York, June 2004 .)
70. and S. Dyrvik, "Historisk demograli. Ei innføring i metodane" (Oslo, 1983), pp. 138-141. p. 164.
71. D. Gaunt & O. Löfgren, in "Remarriage in the Nordic Countries. The Cultural and Socioeconomic Background", in J. Dupaquier et al., eds. Marriage and Remarriage in Populations of the Past (London, 1981), pp. 49-60.
72. Spcsialstudier: Mannsåker, Det norske presteskapet i det 19. hundreåret (Oslo, 1954);
73. U. Hernroth, Den konserverade änkan. En studie i prästerskapets äktenskapsbildning på 1600- och 1700- talet i Sverige (Göteborg, 1985);
74. S. Widén, Änkeomsorg i ståndssamhället. Försörjnings- och understödsformer för prästänkor i Åbo stift 1723-1807 (Åbo, 1988).
75. S. Perrier, "The Blended Family in Ancient Regime France; A Dynamic Family Form", The History of the Family, vol. 3, no. 4 (1998), pp. 459-471.
76. S. Sogner, "Hva kan tingbøkene fortelle om barns rettsstilling på 1600-tallet?" In 13. Michalsen og K. Sprauten, eds. Rett og historie: festskrift til Gudmund Sandvik (Oslo, 1997).
77. S. Fagerlund. Handel och model. Vardagslivets sociala struktur ur ett kvimoperspektiv. Helsingborg ca 1680-1709, Stadia Historiea Lundensia 8, Historiska institutionen vid Funds universitet (Lund, 2002).
78. J. R. Myking. Når leigar rår? Vilkåra til norske leiglendingar 1600-1800. Edited by Ø. Bjørnson, E. Nysæter and A. K. Uthaug. Vol. 3, Norske historikardagar 1996. (Bergen: Historisk institut. Universitetet i Bergen, 1996.)
79. A. Thoré, Akademibondens plikt, universitetets rätt. Feodala produktionsförhållanden vid Uppsala universitets gods 1650-1790 (Uppsala. 2001), p. 280, also pp. 47-49.
80. The History of the Family, vol. 7, issue 1, a special issue on widowhood. It presented articles focusing on widowhood in many parts of Europe.
81. It is still part of the analysis, and is perhaps best taken care of in studies on remarriage and household size and structure. An example on new historie demographic research on widowhood, bringing up a new theme should be mentioned also; P. Nystedt, "Widowhood-related mortality in Scania, Sweden during the 19th century", in The History of the Family. 7, no. 3 (2002) pp. 451-4-78.
82. The study of widowhood mirrors the developments of trends in family history: K. T. Hareven, The history of the family and the Complexity of Social Change. The American Historieal Review. 96 (1): pp. 95-124, 1991.
83. Two recently published works on widowhood in Europe: L. Warner, Lyndan and Sandra Cavallo (1999). Widowhood in Medieval and Early Modern Europe.
84. And: C. Lundh, "Remarriages in Sweden in the 18th and 19th Centuries". The History of the Family 7, no. 3 (2002), pp. 423-449.