Scholar, Translator. First woman in Iceland to earn a PhD. Born Björg Caritas Þorláksdóttir in Vesturhópshólar, she was the mayor's daughter and sister of the future Prime Minister of Iceland. After studying at a womens' school, she started out teaching until 1897, when she travelled with her brother, Jón, to Copenhagen to further their education. After another year there, she applied to Reykjavík Junior College, but was rejected, so she remained in Copenhagen. In 1900, she finished her degree and again applied, but was rejected on the grounds that women were not allowed to attend classes there. She then enrolled in, and received a bachelor's degree in 1901 from Nørrebro's Latin and Real School in Copenhagen. The next year, she enrolled in the University of Copenhagen, having passed the PhD candidacy examination. She married Sigfús Blöndal in 1903 and for 19 years worked with him to create an Icelandic-Danish dictionary. Their progress was slowed due to many health scares, including tuberculosis and a benign tumor. When their final work, Konunglega bókasafnið, was ultimately published in 1922, it would be only her husband whose work would be recognized. Shortly thereafter, their marriage fell apart and they divorced in 1925. During this time, she started to use the name Þorláksson, moved to Paris, France, and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Iceland. In 1926, she became the first Icelandic woman to earn a doctorate degree at 52 years old. Unfortunately, her tumors returned and she was put in an asylum, believed to be suffering from delusions. She died of breast cancer in 1934. Today, a bust of her has been installed in the University of Iceland and a biography was published in 2001.
Scholar, Translator. First woman in Iceland to earn a PhD. Born Björg Caritas Þorláksdóttir in Vesturhópshólar, she was the mayor's daughter and sister of the future Prime Minister of Iceland. After studying at a womens' school, she started out teaching until 1897, when she travelled with her brother, Jón, to Copenhagen to further their education. After another year there, she applied to Reykjavík Junior College, but was rejected, so she remained in Copenhagen. In 1900, she finished her degree and again applied, but was rejected on the grounds that women were not allowed to attend classes there. She then enrolled in, and received a bachelor's degree in 1901 from Nørrebro's Latin and Real School in Copenhagen. The next year, she enrolled in the University of Copenhagen, having passed the PhD candidacy examination. She married Sigfús Blöndal in 1903 and for 19 years worked with him to create an Icelandic-Danish dictionary. Their progress was slowed due to many health scares, including tuberculosis and a benign tumor. When their final work, Konunglega bókasafnið, was ultimately published in 1922, it would be only her husband whose work would be recognized. Shortly thereafter, their marriage fell apart and they divorced in 1925. During this time, she started to use the name Þorláksson, moved to Paris, France, and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Iceland. In 1926, she became the first Icelandic woman to earn a doctorate degree at 52 years old. Unfortunately, her tumors returned and she was put in an asylum, believed to be suffering from delusions. She died of breast cancer in 1934. Today, a bust of her has been installed in the University of Iceland and a biography was published in 2001.
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