The Rattrap — Selma Lagerlöf
Introduction
"The Rattrap" is a short story by Selma Lagerlöf (1858–1940), the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature (1909). The story is set in Sweden during a bleak winter and follows a vagabond who sells rattraps — and who sees the entire world as a giant rattrap designed to lure and ensnare human beings. The story explores themes of human goodness, redemption, trust, and the transformation of character through kindness.
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The Central Metaphor — The World as a Rattrap
The peddler's central philosophy is this: the world is essentially one large rattrap. It offers riches, joys, shelter, food, and warmth as bait, just as a rattrap offers cheese. But the moment a person reaches out and grabs the bait — by becoming greedy, dishonest, or weak — they are caught. The trap snaps shut and everything ends.
This metaphor is both pessimistic (the world is fundamentally dangerous) and insightful (it recognises that human desires make people vulnerable). It frames the entire story and becomes ironic when the peddler himself falls into just such a trap.
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Plot Summary
The Peddler — a poor, nameless vagabond — travels the winter countryside of Sweden selling rattraps. His life is miserable: he begs shelter from farmers, is lonely, and finds the world generally unkind.
The Crofter — One evening, the peddler is given shelter by a kind old crofter (small farmer) who is lonely and glad of company. The crofter shows the peddler thirty kronor — money he received for his cow's milk — and hides it in a leather pouch on the wall. The next day, the peddler leaves, then sneaks back and steals the money. He has fallen into his own rattrap — he became greedy, grabbed the bait, and is now trapped (he cannot use the main roads for fear of being caught).
The Ironmaster — The peddler, wandering in a forest to avoid detection, stumbles upon a large iron foundry. He seeks shelter inside. The foundry owner, the Ironmaster, mistakes him for an old regimental comrade named Captain von Stahle and invites him home. The peddler, knowing this is a case of mistaken identity but desperate for warmth and food, goes along with the deception — another layer of the trap.
Edla Willmansson — The Ironmaster's daughter, Edla, is perceptive: she suspects from the start that the guest is not who her father thinks he is. But she is moved by compassion. She persuades her father to let the man stay for Christmas. Her words are crucial: she wants to give him "one day of peace" because he seemed afraid and hunted.
The Revelation and Redemption — On Christmas morning, the Ironmaster recognises the truth — the man is not his old friend. He is furious. But Edla convinces her father to let the man finish his Christmas meal in peace, having promised him a safe Christmas. When the peddler leaves, he takes a small rattrap as a gift and leaves a note inside for Edla — along with the stolen thirty kronor — asking her to return the money to the crofter. He signs the note as "Captain von Stahle" — the identity Edla's kindness had given him, if only for a day.
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Key Themes
1. Human Goodness and Redemption
Edla's selfless, non-judgmental kindness is the force that transforms the peddler. She offers him dignity and trust not because he deserves it but because she chooses to see the best in him. Her goodness awakens his conscience.
2. The World as a Rattrap
The metaphor functions on multiple levels: the crofter's money is literal bait; the Ironmaster's hospitality (based on a false premise) is another bait; and by accepting it, the peddler is again trapped — morally. Only Edla's unconditional kindness breaks the cycle.
3. Loneliness and Connection
Both the crofter and the peddler are lonely. The crofter's generosity flows from loneliness. The peddler's life is defined by isolation — no name, no home, no community. Human connection — even brief — has the power to change people.
4. The Transformative Power of Trust
Edla does not give the peddler trust because he has earned it; she gives it freely. This is precisely what makes it transformative. Being trusted when you know you do not deserve it is far more powerful than being trusted because you have proved yourself.
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Common mistakes
- The Ironmaster is NOT the one who shows true kindness — it is his daughter Edla. The Ironmaster acts from self-interest (mistaken identity) and anger (upon discovery).
- The peddler is never named — calling him "the rattrap seller" is acceptable; inventing a name is wrong.
- The thirty kronor are returned at the end — the peddler redeems himself, which is the moral core of the story. Students sometimes miss this key detail.
- Edla is described as compassionate, not naive — she suspects the truth from the beginning, making her kindness a deliberate choice, not an innocent mistake.
- The setting (Swedish winter, iron foundry) is important — it amplifies the contrast between cold isolation and warm human connection.
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Summary
A vagabond peddler who sees the world as a giant rattrap steals money from a kind crofter and becomes trapped by guilt and fear. Mistaken for a military captain, he is invited to an Ironmaster's home. The Ironmaster's daughter Edla extends genuine, unconditional hospitality. Moved by her kindness, the peddler leaves a Christmas gift — the stolen money with instructions to return it — and signs himself "Captain von Stahle," showing that Edla's compassion had, at least briefly, raised him to the dignity of the name he never deserved.