Constance Ring

Initially refused by the author's scandalized publisher, Constance Ring is now considered a classic of Scandinavian and women's literature, a passionate condemnation of marriage and moral hypocrisy that has drawn comparisons to Madame Bovary and The Awakening. Constance is a naive young woman who marries Ring, a well-to-do businessman who loves her but indulges in the casual adultery that is customary for men of his social circle. When Constance sets out to divorce Ring, she finds that no one will support her decision. Constance Ring is an intimate portrayal of a vibrant woman who refuses to yield to the forces that constrict women's lives in a society that offers women few choices but marriage.