Krusenstjerna, Agnes von

(1894-1940)

   A Swedish novelist, Krusenstjerna was descended from Erik Gustaf Geijer and was born into a noble family. In poor mental health much of her life, she produced a semi-autobiographical series about a woman named Tony, consisting of Tony vaxer upp (1922; Tony Grows Up), Tonys laroar (1924; Tony's Apprenticeship), and Tonys sista laroar (1924; The Last Year of Tony's Apprenticeship), in which Tony is portrayed as suffering a mental breakdown. Her seven novels with the common title Froknerna von Pahlen (1930-1935; The Misses von Pahlen) gave rise to a heated debate about her portrayal of female sexuality. Krusenstjerna's final work was a tetralogy, Fattigadel (1935-1938; Impoverished Nobility), in which she exposed the private lives of members of her family.