The Bondman

A governor's plans for his daughter's marriage meet the force of private feeling in Hall Caine's northern saga. Set against Iceland and the Isle of Man, the novel places its central date around 1800, while allowing older customs and events to shape its historical background. In the opening, Jorgen Jorgensen hopes to marry Rachel to a Danish official. At the national assembly, her attention shifts from a wrestling contest to a powerful young spectator.

Family ties become sources of conflict as love, jealousy and revenge pull against conscience. A later scene finds Jason listening to an organ amid a gathered crowd, struggling with his feelings for Greeba and his anger toward his brother. Northern folk legends introduce the story's interest in mistaken desires and enemies who resemble ourselves. Readers interested in historical fiction can follow these personal struggles alongside descriptions of Icelandic public life, laws and ceremonies.