Helgafell is an important location for Gemma's family history. Gemma's father and Kristjana skipped school one day and attempted to climb the mountain silently so their wishes would be granted...but Kristjana fell and screamed so neither of their wishes would come true. (422).
The homeland of the majority of Gemma's Icelandic family. This family has deep roots in fishing and boating, they have Viking roots and pride in their heritage. This is also where Gemma finds out more about her own history, and her original Norse/Icelandic name. While Gemma Hardy is the titular character's name throughout the book, it takes until one of the later chapters for the readers to find out her actual Icelandic name of Fjola Einarsdottir, and to finally see her parents graves. Fjola means Violet and is also the name used for girls.
The park is spread across 54 acres on what was once the grounds of Cope Castle, a large Jacobean mansion hidden deep in the woods. Later, it was renamed Holland House after the Earl of Holland's wife, Lady Rich inherited the property. During WWII, Holland House was badly damaged, leaving only one wing and a section of the front terrace. The neighborhoods that surround this area today are known for its celebrity and high-powered executive residents.
Throughout Margot Livesey's "The Flight of Gemma Hardy," the figure of Sulis is evoked repeatedly. In the first instance, Gemma is reflecting on the stories her uncle used to tell her. One such story involved the goddess Sulis, whose followers "used to throw lead tablets into the water inscribed with requests for children or good harvests, or sometimes curses" (Livesey 27). Afterwards, the young Gemma admits that the "idea that just by saying certain words you could harm someone fascinated [her]" (Livesey 28). The next time Sulis appears is on page 91, during one of Mr.
The University of Jena was founded in 1558 and is located in Jena, Germany. During the Romantic period, Jena was known for being one of the premier academic institutions in all of Germany. Many great philosophers gathered here to study, debate, and teach and as such it is considered the emergence of Romanticism. Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling began teaching at the University of Jena in 1798.
