Northern Seas
This is the Northern Seas region, encompassing texts set in countries bordering the North Sea,
the Baltic Sea, parts of the North Atlantic Ocean, and the Norwegian Sea. Literary scenes here
often evoke moods of curiosity, and contemplation, in suspense between happy and melancholic,
with prominent events including introspection and encounters . Unlike the exuberant
vacationscape of the Mediterranean, leisure in the Northern Seas often involves subtler, more
introverted activities. This region also features the most pollution-themed texts, where leisure
and pollution frequently appear together. This juxtaposition suggests the enduring idea of the
beach as a place of leisure despite the growing visibility of anthropogenic pollution.