Norwegian criticism of Sigrid Undset's writing centers on her religiosity (she became a conservative, almost reactionary Catholic in Lutheran Norway in the 1920s she possesses an intensity of belief that is rather naturally expressed in the medieval novels. She was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928.

Undset's comprehensive knowledge of medieval Scandinavian culture has its literary monuments in Kristin Lavransdatter (1920-22) and The Master of Hestviken (1925-27), historical novels that depict life in the Norwegian Middle Ages. Jenny (1911), an idealistic and tragic love story, is one of the latter novels. Cultural, autobiographical, and religious topics constitute a large and interesting portion of her fiction, which in Norway is categorized according to the time of action: medieval or modern. Sigrid Undset was the daughter of archeologist Ingvald Undset. Both are powerfully displayed in this compelling drama about fidelity and forgiveness. Undsets descriptions of the Norwegian people and countryside coupled with her profound understanding of the human heart won her worldwide literary acclaim. With its setting in modern times, Ida Elisabeth examines the difficulties inherent in male-female relationships as they are experienced in contemporary society. Even in her historical novels, the Nobel Prize-winning Undset tackled contemporary themes.

As in Undsets other fiction, however, Ida Elisabeth poignantly illustrates how poor choices affect the course of a persons life and how the suffering endured because of grievous mistakes can become the means by which a love is purified. Unlike Undsets famous historical novels, which are set in medieval Norway, the story of Ida Elisabeth unfolds in the 1920s. As she contemplates marrying again, Frithjof, now gravely sick, reenters her life. Still young and good looking, the admirably hardworking Ida Elisabeth attracts the attention of a successful lawyer, who possesses the manly virtues that her husband lacked. The single mother moves with her children to a small town. When Frithjof becomes involved with another woman, Ida Elisabeth divorces him. Early in their marriage, she realizes that her charming husband is too irresponsible to support the family and sews dresses to make ends meet. In an effort to redeem her reputation, Ida Elisabeth imprudently marries her teenage sweetheart, Frithjof.

Ida elisabeth by sigrid undset