Dorothe Engelbretsdotter

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Dorothe Engelbretsdotter (born January 16, 1634 in Bergen, Norway, died February 19, 1713 in Bergen), was daughter of Engelbret Jørgenssøn and Anna Wrangel. She was Norway's first recognized woman author.

Dorothe was married in 1656 with Ambrosius Hardenbeck. Through her husband she came into contact with the German-Bergan musical and theological scenes.

Her life had much sorrow. She had nine children, but seven of them died and two of them disappeared. This sorrow is evident in examples such as the poem Afften Psalme. Her first work, Siælens Sang-offer, was published 1678. Taare-Offer was her second collected works and was published for the first time in 1685.

She has also been characterized as Norway's first feminist before feminism became a recognized concept. At the time during which she lived she was the first female author to make her living based on her writing.