In March 1875, the Askja volcano in Iceland's Central Highlands erupted explosively, ejecting tephra that affected Europe with acid rain and dimmed sunlight. The caldera-forming event devastated local Icelandic settlements through ash and famine risks. Situated in the Vatnajökull region vicinity, it led to significant emigration from Iceland to North America. The eruption highlighted Iceland's active volcanic zone.

Icelandic sagas and modern poetry often reference volcanic forces shaping the land and psyche, with this event reinforcing themes of exile and resilience in Nordic literature. It paralleled global Romantic interests in northern sublime, influencing Scandinavian poets' explorations of nature's wrath and cultural memory.