Kalundborg. Womansaga. Birthplace, Sigrid Undset, Nobel Prize Novelist

Kristin Lavransdatter. 
Novel by Sigrid Undset
Nobel Prize for Literature 1928

Move aside, Moby Dick and the men's viewpoint of institutions, morality, tragedy, human flaw, and religious dogma words like redemption from the male perspective, sacrifice, all too monopolized in the watery setting of the whale. 

Here is its rival, by Sigrid Undset 1882-1949,  a womansaga that I think surpasses the mansaga of Moby Dick, even for modern professional women; and that is not limited to women's interests because the men are so deeply drawn,  The issues of Kristin Lavransdatter, transcend culture, just as Moby Dick, and even Gone with the Wind.  She was born here in Kalendborg, but moved as a little child to Oslo, Norway.

Sigrid Undset received the Nobel Prize for Literature for this novel in 1928.  Set it medieval Norway, 13th Century, the work was originally in three volumes, now in one thick but compact (small margins) version translated into English in the 1950's. See http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/undset.htm.

As a small child, age two when she moved to Oslow, she would not remember the overkill of five steeples on the main church at Kalundborg, See the Church of Our Lady (count the steeples, and include the one barely showing at the left).

Still, what did this Catholic-convert experience, that brings her to offer in the novel a critical view:  the harsh and self-serving looks at the institution that  the militaristic and administration-oriented Rome brought, after its folk took over from the original earlier missionaries and monks of the contemplative sort.  Miracles and saints there are also, of course, but the foil is the acquisitiveness of the enterprise.

Christianity in the northlands:  after the Northern Crusades.  Undset as a Catholic.  Why?  That is one of the conundrums.  Is it a literal kind of Stockholm Syndrome, medieval style, where the forces at work on young girls set them to try in vain to please their captors.  Are you interested in finding out?  Not that everyone in a Reformation changes viewpoint, but which stay and which venture more on their own is a reasonable inquiry.
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Kalundborg, DK. Church of Our Lady,  with the 5 steeples, one barely showing at left

Oprah, if you are looking for a project, get Kristin Lavransdatter and sponsor a  film series for adults, and readings for book clubs, this is a thousand-pager.  Your channel will be set for life.

There is a film of only the first of the three books of the novel, Liv Ullman directing, see the very limited storyline at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113576/.  The book is far more than a trite-sounding storyline.  It is epic, say we, and unusual for its delving into the female experience. This remains a book to be read, not a film to be voyeured.  Pans of the film are probably justified. Norwegians, how did you receive it? See http://norwayroadways.blogspot.com/2011/11/kristin-lavransdatter-sigrid-undset.html

For us, the scope and depth of the topics do not fit a mere 1/3 of the work done in film, and how can any film enter into the mind the way a narrative can. It better fits, perhaps, 12 Sunday evenings, TV, of 1 1/2 hrs each until done.

Oprah, lend us your hands on this one. 

How did I read it?  The time was provided thanks to Connecticut's October snowstorm, wherein corporate power and cable and internet and phone sources left consumers out while they pursued other corporate takeovers with the money available, or just paid off shareholders while we are left in the dark.  For our family, intrusion was minimal.  Other parts of town, some 40% are still without power after 11 days.  We were without power of any kind for 3-4days, then just lacked for internet, cable and phone for another week or so, and are just now getting it back. 

Time for the Large Book of 13th Century Norway. No mere kindle or its ilk can contain this one.

Kalundborg - Church with Five Steeples; Theological and Economic Symbiosis; Stork Roof Symbiosis

Kalundborg:

Economic or Industrial Symbiosis

Steeple Symbiosis

Roof-Sharing Stork Symbiosis

Kalundborg. A 12th Century town on a harbor (west coast of Zealand, Sea Land, Sjaelland, can't spell that, so back to Zealand), that fosters 21st Century multi-faceted use of its properties.

Kalundborg DK. Now crooked old connected residences, stables-garage, still in use

1.  Economic Symbiosis. Industrial Symbiosis.

Economic or Industrial Symbiosis:  This concept means that a community of commercial interests, businesses, locate at the same property.  They collaborate on use of the environment and resources, and produce "enhanced environmental, economic, and social performance."  See Kalundborg and its Economic Symbiosis at http://www.eoearth.org/article/Kalundborg,_Denmark.

The drive for common sense started in 1961 with a collaboration to preserve Denmark's precious groundwater (it and its islands are surrounded by salt water), and use instead lake surface water through a pipeline and purification system, and several economic interests contributed to the project to their mutual benefit. See uses of waste products at http://www.thefreemanonline.org/featured/regulatory-roadblocks-to-turning-waste-to-wealth/. This is all for the benefit of later generations, as the groundwater was not used. See also Dollars and Sense: Denmark Shows the Way. Kalundborg

Good idea.  Read and learn - economic symbiosis. Industrial symbiosis.  More at a regional site, http://www.baltcica.org/casestudies/kalundborg.html.  Could it work somehow for natural gas fricking fracking here?

2.  Steeple - Saint Symbiosis. Church of Our Lady

This means that a community of multiple steeple interests, deity invocators, locate at the came church.  Collaborate on airspace and produce an enhanced steeple experience.  Find it at the Church of Our Lady.  Count them:  1,2,3,4, and there in the back, peeking out and pointing dutifully up, 5.

Church of Our Lady, Kalundborg DK.  Five steeples.

Enjoy the hedge-maze landscaping. The covey of gardeners will watch you pass, and smile and nod when you do. Don't hesitate to be first.

Each tower one is named for a saint, and as was common in Scandinavia before Rome decided enough attention to women was enough, and the men had to take over prominent positions instead to be true to the Doctrine they pushed,  they are named for female saints:

• St. (Virgin) Mary's in the center, 
• then east to St. Anne, 
• south to St. Mary Magdalene, 
• west to St. Catherine. 

 You know the Virgin and Mary Magdalene, and St. Anne, mother of Virgin Mary.
 
St. Anne does not appear in the New Testament, however, we learn; and only is in the Apocryphal literature, James' Protoevangelium, or Protevangelium.  She was much venerated in the Middle Ages but not until the 13th Century.  Also find her as Anna. Spend time with her role, see St. Anne, Anna, Mother of Mary, James' Infancy Gospel
That means she would be a newcomer to the devotions. She must have made an impact on the faithful, because at that early stage of European focus, she had a steeple tower named for her.

Catherine? That could not have been the Italian Catherine of Siena, who lived 1347-1380.  It could have been St. Catherine of Alexandria, greatly revered in the Middle Ages, a scholar a beauty and a martyr, but Orthodox and historicity may be questioned, see that quick look at Wikipedia.

It takes time to get all the steeples in at once.  Getting closer does not help.

The church architecture is an equal sided Greek cross, with a steeple also in the center, making all the steeples feasible and equal.

 

The town, began in earnest as a trading center in 1170, and once looked like this model.  The church tower-tower-tower-tower-tower towers high. Do they all have bells?  Do they ringbongclangringbing in sync? 

Kalundborg, Denmark.  Church yard model of walled medieval town, Church of Our Lady

The model of the town is a fine use of church yard space at the Church of Our Lady. 

Note there were many towers in the town, in the town. There (2-3) were towers in the town, in the .....

Kalundborg, Denmark. Medieval Kalendborg Castle model, Keep and defensive walls (some walls remain)

Watch it.

In Denmark and we find in most of Europe, you will not see protective railings around depressions in the ground.  You are expected to watch where your own feet are going, and not fool around with your companion.  A careless stumble into this little model would produce some nasty gauges, so be careful. Don't expect to sue. That's what your eyes are for.


3.  Stork-Roof Symbiosis

This means that the stork population may want to use the same roof as humans, and should be allowed to do so.  Find this one and look closely to see that the nestic construction is not a continuation of the treeline behind the roof.

That is a European White Stork nest, followed up on the ridge line by wise footholds for little storklets and storklings (females and males) to cling to when time to fledge. In some places, the roof owner will construct a wooden frame to make the nest secure, see Ribe.
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Stork - Roof Symbiosis, Kalundborg Denmark