Gösta Berlings saga

novel by Lagerlof

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 29, 2026

Quick Summary

Gösta Berlings saga is a novel by Selma Lagerlöf, the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Published in 1891, it is set in Värmland, Sweden, during a period of prosperous iron founders and small manors.12

The novel chronicles the adventures of the twelve Cavaliers, led by Gösta Berling, a charismatic but flawed former priest. Written in a lyrical style, the book was influenced by Thomas Carlyle and contributed to the Swedish Romantic revival of the 1890s.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Selma Lagerlöf
…she wrote her first novel, Gösta Berlings saga, 2 vol. (1891). A chronicle of life in the heyday of her native Värmland’s history, the age of prosperous iron founders and small manors, the book recounts the story of the 12 Cavaliers, led by Gösta Berling, a renegade priest of weak…
Read More
…she wrote her first novel, Gösta Berlings saga, 2 vol. (1891). A chronicle of life in the heyday of her native Värmland’s history, the age of prosperous iron founders and small manors, the book recounts the story of the 12 Cavaliers, led by Gösta Berling, a renegade priest of weak…
Read More

Värmland
…the setting for the novel Gösta Berlings saga (1891) by Nobel Prizewinner Selma Lagerlöf. At Mårbacka, south of Sunne, is the house (now a museum) where Lagerlöf was born, wrote most of her novels, and died. Area 7,486 square miles (19,388 square km). Pop. (2005 est.) 273,547.
Read More
…the setting for the novel Gösta Berlings saga (1891) by Nobel Prizewinner Selma Lagerlöf. At Mårbacka, south of Sunne, is the house (now a museum) where Lagerlöf was born, wrote most of her novels, and died. Area 7,486 square miles (19,388 square km). Pop. (2005 est.) 273,547.
Read More