In accordance with the given assignment I will provide historical perspective and facts relating to the timer period of Moberg's characters. Additionally, I have decided to analyze, dissect and discuss The Emigrants by Vilhelm Moberg. This will include a closer examination the book's language, its characters and the underlying message of Moberg's story.
First came the Vikings
The history of Scandinavian migration to America is a story equal, or even greater, in length than the existence of the United States itself. Record show Scandinavians made it across the sea all the way back to the 17thcentury, just years after the Mayflower made it to the shores of the new land (Beijbom). If one is to include the Vikings and the journeys they embarked on, one can extend the Scandinavian impact on this continent several hundred years' further back in time. However, relating to Moberg's book, and the time period with the greatest significance for this paper, we move a couple of hundred years forward in time; to the beginning of the 19th century and the mass European "invasion". "The tidal wave of Swedish emigration", beginning in the mid 1840s", set the precedence of what would become a horde of Scandinavian immigrants in the decades to come (Beijbom). Europe was a troubled continent at the time with numerous countries struggling with famine, plagues and an ominous future for many of their citizen. As the letters from the very first of Europeans emigrants found their way back to the families and loved ones back in Europe, more and more people realized their faiths were perhaps not sealed, and that there were greener pastures to be explored across the ocean. However, this journey was not to be embarked on with ease. As the "American fever" began to spread across the European continent, many were left with a glorified image of America and the opportunities it possessed - as well as failing to realize the danger of such a journey at the time. In The Emigrants e.g., seven of the seventy-eight passengers never make it to shore in New York, dying from the journey that was intended to save their lives. However, the majority of those who had the means, funds and guts to leave their whole lives behind them safely made it to America. In the time from the mid 19th century up until the 1930's, approximately two million Swedes and Norwegians made it to America, with Germany and the other Scandinavian countries adding another five to six million to this figure. "In proportion to the population of their home countries, only the British Isles and Norway surpassed Sweden in the number of immigrants" (Beijbom).
Karl Oskar found himself in a position much like many of his fellow countrymen of the century. At a time of uncertain futures and increasing growth in population, it was not uncommon for a family to have more children than their small farm or crops could support. Over time this resulted in "divided inheritance" and fragmentation of farms into what, in essence, were insufficient areas of land to support a large family on (Beijbom). In the book we see the hardship of day to day life and the hard work required to put food on a table for a growing family - a never ending fight for Karl Oskar and his wife Kristina. In 1844, the same year as King Oscar I ascend the throne; Karl Oskar inherits the land he will eventually have to leave behind. An underlying reason for this is the accompanying debt, adding up to almost three quarters of the properties total value - an impossible amount of money to work off in the foreseeable future. This situation was not unique, resembling the faiths of many families across the countryside. Apart from the size of the farms itself, farming was, and still is, far from easy in greater parts of Scandinavia. Rocks, hills and poor soil made up the obstacles peasants faced when trying to feed their families - and it wouldn't be long before rumors of the fertile, rock-free and flat land in America travelled the region.
During these trying times it was attempted to restructure the Scandinavian agriculture in order to better the situation. As peasants and farmers made up the majority of a countries work force, a crisis in this industry could be devastating for a nation's economy and its citizens (Immigration). This transformation was easier said than done, as the tradition of sustenance farming on a small area of land was rooted deeply in the hearts and minds of the farmers. More and more Europeans, now struck by famine and bad crops, were unable to see a livable future for their families - laying the foundation for what would later result in millions upon millions travelling across the sea in the pursuit of a better life. At the same time as Europe was rapidly loosing inhabitants, to either death or emigration, America was facing an obvious growth in population, as well as the accompanying change in social composition. Karl Oskar and the others from Ljuder Parish in Småland, Sweden were just a small fraction of the total numbers of Swedes travelling to America in the mid 1800's. At their time of departure, the westward expansion has made it to the mid west, making Minnesota, Illinois and Ohio possible settling areas.
One of the most challenging parts of the emigration was the journey itself. Long, hard and at times fatal, the weeks and months spent at sea was a test to even the roughest of men and women. For the seventy-eight passengers on board the Charlotta, only seventy would set foot on American soil - depicting the unpredictable outcome for every individual putting their lives in the hands of the unmerciful sea. Inga Lena, wife of Danjel, is the only of the following not surviving the journey, falling victim to scurvy - a very common disease at sea, pointing to the lack of vitamin C over an extended period of time. Aside from scurvy there were a plethora of disease and troubles to cope with during the long months. Lack of food and water, lice, common cold and not to mention; seasickness. As a man of God, Danjel firmly believed prayer and faith would protect one and all from seasickness. If God was busy or tired of curing the countless of emigrants with a run of the mill nausea is not elaborated on, but eventually almost all the passengers got sick - including Danjel. Socially the trip was straining as well. Living literally on top of each other, even the strongest marriage or friendship could turn into a quarrel in a matter of seconds. Almost all the passengers were hard working men and women. Accustomed to rising when the rooster crows, working all day long to put food on the table day after day. On board the ship the days were long and uneventful, leaving them all with more time on their hands than wished for - another factor in the endless quarrels taking place.
Immigrants brought with them their cultural backgrounds, traditions, and traits to their newly adopted land. The Irish, Italian, German, Polish, British, and Jewish were just a few of the different cultures that dominated the United States in the 19th century.The largest group of immigrants that came to the United States in all but three of the years between 1854 and 1894 were the Germans. By the end of the 1800s over five million Germans arrived and during the 1900s another two million came.
In 1870, 15 percent of Sweden´s population had it´s income from mining, manufacturing, construction, etc., compared to 28 percent at the turn of the century. Such figures illustrate a powerful industrialization progress which, however, never was strong enough to offer a fully convincing alternative to America. Therefore, an average of two men emitrated for each man occupied by the industry. (The emigration from Sweden to America, http://www.utvandrarnashus.se/eng/
Moberg's point of view
Moberg relates the story from the point of view of birth and rebirth that is part of human life cycle. The natural history involves life and death that influences lives. The author also includes his own way of perceiving life and death. The importance of perception on death seems to be derived from the importance on the perception of life. If death is not important, life also would be not important. Death for the author is also something inevitable that his characters are aware of, as the only certainty in life that it will occur sooner or later.
The author begins his story with the beginning of life of his main character Karl. Karl is connected to his family the lives of his parents. The beginning of his life coincides with the beginning of a new ruler, Swedish King. The new beginning is always the end of something else, in the same way that migration and various other events are symbolically compared to death. Karl's parents view his departure as a funeral procession.
Moberg instills reality in his characters, events, and the story. His style involves physical perception of reality and its connection with nature.
The perception on life as part of natural phenomena of life and death represents certain dark yet realistic view on the meaning of life. Although the captain of the ship who witnessed many deaths is aware of death as something that is going to happen sooner or later, he chooses to ignore it precisely because of this. He becomes less burdened by death when acknowledging its existence.
Moberg perceives the United States as the land of freedom and human rights. Karl become aware that he would not only earn more if he migrated to the US but also would be treated better along with having more choice about his own matters. He would also become free of debt that he found increasingly difficult to pay. He is also attracted by the new world, where he has no obligations towards his masters.
Language and Meaning
Moberg uses language that is related to a physical reality. His language is accurate, yet creates a certain psychological connection. In tackling the lives of common people he describes their lives as simple yet complex manner using allegories and symbols when describing peasants as those that were part of the soil who worked on their farms for generations. Their houses were also inherited and built to last for centuries determining further about their place on earth. Those people lead simple lives away from major events but eventually they become driven out of their peaceful existence. In describing this change he compares their difficulties to drops of water that become a stream that changes in the end into a river. Such unrest that becomes a force eventually drives them out of their lands. His practical manner of describing events is evident when he mentions the importance of medicinal cures that were necessary for the migrants when they travelled. These medicines where important for their survival on land and on the ship thus they became part of the story.
Moberg includes the real information as part of the story among the figurative languages he uses to add depth and meaning. Some elements, however, don't require explanation and can be deduced by the reader who begins to understand the psychological state of the characters. In describing the events he uses various perspectives that incorporates the way they view the world while adding significance through further historical or other information. When he describes migration, he provides significance to these events through comparing them to other migrating events and describing the way their tradition is involved in their journey. Such tradition persisted in Vikings in their past as they traveled to conquer or to improve their lives. Migration hence has been part of human experience for many centuries as part of survival or migration as a purpose in itself. Migration has a long tradition that is evident when Moberg describes the way the migrants distrust the sea that was also the same way other Swedish and Vikings distrusted it.
Structure
The story is divided into two parts and twenty-six chapters. One part involves the life of Karl Oskar till the time he boards the ship Charlotta to travel to America. The second part deals with the migrants on board the ship Charlotta as they travel to America across the Pacific ocean. It unfolds along with the beginning of Nilsa family where its roots are explored and investigated.
We follow births of the members of the family and follow as they grow up, marry, and travel. Each chapter is devoted to specific event or an important moment in the life of all characters. Each chapter is a build up towards the end where migrants arrive at their destination. It is constructed in a similar way to the way people experience their journey, where they are most impatient towards the end, but the beginning is most difficult. Chapters where people experience an illness or a storm are longer as it seems when people experience it in reality. Exciting events, in the same way, are shorter in length.
