Selma Lagerlöf´s Influence on Society and Women Vote Rights

Selma Lagerlöf (1858-1940) was a pioneering Swedish author and the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1909. Which made her world famous in- and outside of Sweden. Her œvre counts as world literature and many of her fascinating stories became film screenplay. Her work always thematised Swedish landscape and was often inspired by sagas, myths and true stories from the beautiful valley in Värmland, western Sweden, where she grew up as a daughter to the farmer of Mårbacka. She suffered of polio when she was 3 years old and was unable to walk in many years. Not being able to play outside with her 5 siblings got her interested in books and storys which were read to her before she learned to read herself. She later even explored themes of social justice, spirituality, and the human condition, resonating deeply within Swedish society. Her most famous books are: The wonderful Adventures of Nils Holgersson, The Saga of Gösta Berling, Jerusalem, The Emperor of Portugallia. Besides being a successful author, Lagerlöf was a strong advocate for women’s rights and played a crucial role in the movement for women’s suffrage in Sweden. Through her influence and publicity, she helped shift public perception and encouraged social changes that led to the eventual granting of voting rights to women in 1921 after a long campaign with many female activists involved. Lagerlöf’s advocacy, both through her literary work and her public and bold political work, significantly impacted Swedish society, promoting greater gender equality and social reform.