Typology of Female Mythological Images in Modern Scandinavian Crime Drama

Abstract

The Scandinavian crime drama was born out of a mix of Dogme 95 and “Twin Peaks” kind of TV series. Apart from a gripping plot, the main feature of the genre is an extraordinary heroine capable of taking on society's challenges, punishing the strong and standing up for the weak. The Scandinavian mythological tradition and the historical and country-specific context had a key influence on the shaping of the image of the heroine in question. Thus, given the harsh climate, the rather far apart residences and military campaigns, a woman often had to take on male roles. And Scandinavian goddesses were equal to men. With the advent of Christianity, thanks to the literary tradition, women managed to retain their significant role.
Striking heroines appear in the works of Andersen, Strindberg, Lagerlöf, Bremer. In the 20th century, Astrid Lindgren created a series of bold, singular heroines. Pippy Longstocking inspired Stieg Larsson to create Lisbeth Salander, who in turn spawned an abundance of Scandinavian heroines such as Saga Nooren, Sarah Lund, Alfhildr Enginsdotter, who have gained worldwide recognition. They are reclusive, strange in comparison to their colleagues, sometimes sociopathic, not always able to behave properly in society, but always ready to put everything on the line for the sake of truth. At the same time one can observe a tandem of partners of opposite sex having completely dissimilar personalities, but perfectly complementing each other.
It is important to note, however, that invariable there is a certain ambivalence present in the heroine’s character. She arouses sympathy and protest of the audience, as if demonstrating that she is neither good nor bad, neither better nor worse than anyone else, but just like everyone else. This is a feature of the Scandinavian character, described by the Norwegian writer Aksel Sandemose as the Law of Jante. Of particular note is the fact that the strong tradition of mythology gave rise to a new genre previously unexplored in Russian film studies - New Nordic Magic. It is some kind of a low-budget fantasy, where a fancy story is set in a modern city. Two Norwegian series, “Ragnarök” and “Aliens from the Past”, are examples of this genre, enabling one to talk about complex matters in a straightforward manner not being wary of giving offence.