Ideals express how we want to behave towards our fellow humans and play an important part in shaping our lives and societies. Popular movements, like the temperance movement, helped create the modern Swedish society, by instilling certain ideals in their members. This thesis is an investigation of the ideals adhered to by Olga Gentz and Thorild Dahlgren, a Swedish couple that were active in the temperance movement at the beginning of the 20:th century. An analysis of the letters Olga and Thorild exchanged shows that they strived to be natural, modest, considerate, honest, prudent, diligent and dutyful. Many of the ideals that Olga and Thorild practiced in their everyday life have been identified by prior research as characteric of the temperance movement. One exception is that Olga and Thorild stress the imporance of honesty.

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