Background
She was born in Fredericia, Denmark, the daughter of skipper Thomas Nielsen Kragh and Anna Kristine Pedersen.
She was born in Fredericia, Denmark, the daughter of skipper Thomas Nielsen Kragh and Anna Kristine Pedersen.
She is said to have inspired a number of other writers to model characters after her. In Bergen the Thoresens" home became a meeting place for writers and actors. In 1850 Ole Bulletin established a theatre in Bergen, called Det Norske Theater.
Thoresen wrote four plays that were staged anonymously at Det Norske Theater.
Through the theatre she became acquainted with playwright Henrik Ibsen. Among her novels are Studenten, published in the collection Fortællinger in 1862, Signes Historie from 1864, Minister Bedstemoders Fortælling from 1867, and Solen i Siljedalen from 1868.
Among her successful plays are Et rigt Parti, which was first staged at the Royal Danish Theatre in 1870 and later in Stockholm and in Christiania, and Inden Døre from 1877. She published the travel book Billeder fra Vestkysten av Norge in 1872, and another travel book, Billeder fra Midnatsolens Land, in 1882.
Thoresen"s personality became a model for several female characters in Norwegian literature, including Ibsen"s "Rebekka West" (from Rosmersholm) and "Ellida Wangel" (from The Lady from the Sea), and Bjørnson"s "Maria Stuart" (from his 1864 play), the wild girl "Petra" from Fiskerjenten and "Leonarda" (from his 1879 play).