Gunnvor

Gunnvor, the spirit of a female farmer who once prospered on Bjartur’s land but who was executed by the local community because of their belief that she was communing with evil spirits, is symbolic of the way Iceland devalues the contribution that women make to society. Unlike Bjartur, Gunnvor was a successful and prosperous farmer but her community’s inability to acknowledge that her skill and hard work contributed to the success of the land led to her death. This remains true during Bjartur’s lifetime, hundreds of years later, when the societal refusal to acknowledge the importance of women like Rosa and Finna, and their essential contribution to the successful running of a farm, leads to their deaths.

Cows

Cows are symbolic of the traditionally feminine aspects of life in the novel through their association with nurturing, sustenance, and child-rearing. These associations lead to...