Clothing

Agnes’ clothing ties in with her sense of belonging and acceptance. When she arrives from Stora-Borg, her garments are in tatters and it is only her initial bedraggled appearance that compels Margret to aid her by ordering her to be unchained that she may wash her body of filth and grime. She soon dons a ‘servant’s garb of blue wool’ (p60) which signifies her as a worker on the Kornsa farm and allows her to reminisce about her previous time spent on the farm in service to another family, before she’d even met Natan. Her final outfit is purposefully laid out for her on the night before her execution, when Margret wraps the bereft Agnes in a shawl and unpacks an outfit for Agnes to wear when she is executed. Margret is hounded by helplessness, both in making the authorities understand the real truth, which she has now heard, and in making Agnes aware of how much she has come to mean to her. Coupling the brooch, which Margret once accused Agnes of trying to steal, a symbolic reminder of how far they’ve come since Agnes arrived at the farm and the treasured brooch, one of the family’s last precious trinkets, is the largest gesture an impoverished family could possibly make.

When they burn the dress that Agnes arrived from Stora-Borg in she sees it as her ‘last possession’ (p 76), that a part of her is being incinerated as well. Agnes had made the dress with cloth Natan had bought for Sigga and her when they stayed at his farm; his promise to them that when they came to stay with him they would be kept in luxury dresses and given seal shoes makes him an appealing option for poor work maids.

Weather and Landscape

The harsh Icelandic landscape is as much a character in Kent’s novel as any other, and it varies in its portrayal. At times Agnes believes in the cathartic power of the landscape with ‘the sun driving me [her]’ (p103) and the sunlight making her feel ‘drunk’ (p103), revelling in the feeling of being ‘not quite in control’ (p103) meaning that momentarily she can forget who she is and her fate. But, like so many of the characters in Kent’s novel, the duplicity of the landscape is ever present as winter ascends on the valley swiftly and there is ‘ice in the rain… wind… and dense snow clouds [are] gathering’ (p202). The weather and the harsh landscape of Iceland are a keen reminder that although the seasons pass, the execution date nears and, as with the weather, Agnes has little control over that.

The weather changes the narrative as well. Upon Toti getting ill from exposure to the elements on his trips to visit Agnes, Margret must adopt the role of advisor before Agnes runs out of time to tell her whole story. Although Agnes blames Blondal for ‘takes[ing] away the only comfort I have left in this world’ (p247), it is in fact because Toti is fighting a fever and is delirious. His return to her, just as the news of her execution date is delivered, brings little warmth. In addition to this, it is the weather that prevents Agnes’ step-father Bjorn from getting the appropriate help for his labouring wife, and both she and the infant pass away in a manner than haunts Agnes for years to come.

Weather and Landscape Quotes

Agnes wasn’t stupid. She knew this valley, and she knew what little escape it offered. (Agnes in the early months of her time at Kornsa) p 198

The Reverend still does not come. But winter has… the dark comes; it has settled down in these parts like a bruise in the flesh of the earth, but the Reverend does not. (Agnes when Toti doesn’t visit her) p 254

The world has stopped snowing, stopped moving; the clouds still hang still in the sir like dead bodies… where did time go? It left with summer. I am beyond time. (Agnes moments before she is beheaded) p 323

Superstitions and Omens

Throughout the novel, the ravens become a metaphor of the mysterious landscape that interweaves Agnes’ story and are a poignant reminder that her fate closes in on her. To Agnes, their collective noun of ‘conspiracy’ (p40) seems fitting and their judgement is equally as pious and unforgiving as the authoritarian control that condemns Agnes – ‘birds are heard cawing in the dark are spirits… they would murder as soon as look at you’ (p38). She has good reason to suspect their portent use after seeing one of them ‘jerk[ing] his beak toward the farm of Bakki, and a little boy drowned later that week… the raven had known’ (p37) and in the same way, observing ‘three ravens flying in a line’ (p77) is a good omen and a sign of hope and signify a connection that will be rekindled when she meets the family at Kornsa years before the Illugastadir murders. Being in tune to signs and omens is ingrained in Icelandic culture and many citizens of the bleak nation find themselves relying on natural occurrences such as ‘one hundred small whales come[ing] ashore’ (p78) whilst also suspecting some members of the community as having ‘foresight’ (p213) and the ability to predict parts of the future. Natan’s paranoia alone begins to engulf his relationship with Agnes as he begins to see ‘signs of death all about him’ (p261) and his anxiety about ‘the death waves’ (p261) causes a rift between the two of them.

Whilst the small stone that was gifted to Agnes when she was a little girl by her mother is a memento that she keeps in memory, the sadness that it is the only thing Inga can afford to give her small child is shocking, and the fact that it is a parting gift to Agnes when Inga decides she cannot care for Agnes and leaves with Joas, also makes it a bittersweet possession. The superstition that Inga tells Agnes to put the stone under her tongue may be bogus advice given by a concerned mother to her little child who was growing to be a smart and outspoken woman. It is possible that this was an effort to keep Agnes out of trouble by keeping her mouth closed, knowing that her cleverness could lead her to trouble. As a reminder to readers that authoritarian control often means that women, particularly impoverished ones, lose their voice in the community, Blondal’s officers take the stone from Agnes and ensure her voice will be heard by few until her death.

Superstitions and Omens Quotes

Margret had thought it strange – the way Agnes would not cradle the newborn. What is it she had said? ‘It ought to live.’ As though it would die if Agnes took it in her arms. (Margret after Roslin’s baby had been born) p 200

‘My mother would never let the hearth die in her home… she believed that as long as a light burned in the house, the Devil couldn’t get in. Not even during the witching hour.’ (Margret to Agnes) p 271

Badstofa

The intimacy of the Icelandic architectural design known as the badstofa alters the narrative of Burial Rites entirely. The presence of a badstofa, which is the main living quarters in an Icelandic turf house, meant that the kitchen, hearth, sitting room and bedrooms were all enclosed together in a chamber made of insulating wood panels. With little resources, the family at Kornsa have had to burn most of their wood panelling to keep warm; the lining of their badstofa is made of sweet straw and dried mud. When Toti is ill and Agnes is in desperate need to complete her story before her execution, Margret is able to swap in as her confidente, having already been privy to most of the tale. Additionally, her curiosity is piqued having heard the beginning to Agnes’ testimony and feeling the need for closure; her inquiring tone is evident as she avoids looking at Agnes while the final chapter of what happened at Illugastadir is being told, for fear that ‘she [Agnes] would stop talking and things would be as before’ (p276). But the tension prior to Margret adopting Toti’s role is evident when in an effort to protect their daughters, Jon suggests that the conversation between Agnes and Toti be moved to a more private area. Toti’s explanation that ‘our [their] close proximity means that our [their] discussion cannot help but be heard by your [the] family and servants’ (p216) is a sensible reminder that confidentiality is futile given the circumstances.

Badstofa Quote

He [Toti] suddenly felt claustrophobic sitting in the badstofa, surrounded by the muffled clicks of knitting needles and the rasp and squeak of wool. (Toti considers what it’s like to meet with Agnes in the badstofa amongst the family) p 153