Gender of Millennium

“I considered Pippi Longstocking. What would she be like today? What would she be like as an adult? What would you call a person like that, a sociopath? Hyperactive? Wrong. She simply sees society in a different light. I’ll make her 25 years old and an outcast. She has no friends and is deficient in social skills. That was my original thought.” - Stieg Larsson The gender of millenNium LISBETH SALANDER Cinema Scandinavia // 22 Cinema Scandinavia // 23 The “Millennium” trilogy by Stieg Lars- Eva Gabrielsson, who has been Larsson’s life partner, son became the phenomenon that made Scandi- wrote in her biography “There Are Things I Want You navian crime literature go straight on top of best- to Know. About Stieg Larsson and Me” that the famous selling novels all over the world. Yes, we all know feminism of a writer may be a result of his personal ex- about Henning Mankell, Jo Nesbø and others. But perience in his youth, which left its mark for the rest of these thick books, teeming with unnecessary de- Larsson’s life. Over the weekend in a camp his friends tails and politic discourse for some reason found raped a girl in front of Stieg’s eyes. He broke off any an echo in the hearts of most people around the relations with them, but has always been blaming him- world. In addition, all of the adaptations of the self for what have happened and for not getting involved novels received great critical acclaim and love from to prevent the accident. After a while he met this girl the audience. And it seems that even no one was again in the town and tried to apologise, but she turned THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO sitting (as is often in that case) with an open book away from him, saying that he is just like everyone else. It Lisbeth Salander, as is described by the au- Speaking of sexuality, it has a strong connec- at the cinema, resentfully pointing at the screen seems Gabrielsson was right and this is where we can see thor himself in the head quote, is an “outcast”. She tion to gender roles in Larsson’s novels. That is quite and repeating: “The book was different!” Has Stieg the roots of the problem of violence and discrimination looks younger than her actual age, more like a sex- interesting to see that positive characters in ‘Millen- Larsson, whose sudden death cut short his promis- against women in society in Larsson’s books. less teenager than a grown up woman. That fragile nium’ are quite relaxed in their sexual life. Moreover, ing international success of a writer, invented some look the author emphasizes repeatedly. Lisbeth has they are being bisexual (Lisbeth), lesbians (Mimmi), ideal model of a detective novel, a perfect narrative an androgynous figure (in the second book, howev- they keep changing partners (Mikael and Erika Berg- in which every reader will find "that thing" that is er, she gives herself a breast enlargement operation, er). On the opposite side, so-called “husbands” hide close to him? What is the secret? in some way she gives a “tribute” to the "feminine" the army of skeletons in their closet (Lisbeth’s father, part of herself), she looks unprotected, this insecu- the whole generation in Henrik Vagner’s family includ- The explanation is simple. As Russian critic Lev rity is building the whole story about Salander’s life. ing the horrid character of Martin Vagner who almost Danilkin explained: Due to this fragility, some people have a desire to killed Mikael in the first book). Eva Gabrielsson in subordinate her (legal guardian, father, earlier - ma- her memoirs says that she and Stieg never got mar- “Larsson got very lucky with the licious therapists who were keeping her in clinic for ried as quite a lot of couples from their generation. STIEG LARSSON characters: Mikael Blomkvist and nothing), or care for her (Mikael, Lisbeth girlfriend Maybe somehow it represents the views of the author Lisbeth Salander became Holmes and Also, it is known that some of the actual cases Miriam "Mimmi" Wu) In essence Lisbeth defends on the ‘necessity’ of marriage in modern Swedish so- her right to be a strong woman character, who is ciety. Although, international marriages are successful Watson of the XXI century”. of murders became the base for first book of the trilogy, The Girl With a Dragon Tattoo. In his collaboration with craving to get the desired independence. There is no in ‘Millennium’: Henrik Vagner is married to a Jewish surprise that for the film adaptations, both Swedish woman, his granddaughter got married in Australia It turned out that those Holmes and Wat- journalist Cecilia Englund Larsson edited a book named and American, directors have put so much effort and escaped from the nightmare life she used to have. son in Swedish interpretation were Pippi Long- “Debatten om hedersmord feminism eller racism” (The to make actresses barely recognizable. In American On the positive side there is a marriage that is purely stocking and Kalle Blomkvist (characters from Debate on Honor Killings: Feminism or Racism?). In his version they made Lisbeth completely androgynous, ‘Swedish’ – Erika Berger and her mysterious husband famous Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren’s novels) own essay for this book he described brutal murders of with loads of piercing, make up, black clothes that who doesn’t have anything against open relationships. who grew up and became good examples of mod- two ladies and how he thinks that these murders rep- you can’t see the figure through and face with no eye- But obviously, this mostly not even about this husband, ern Swedish society. resent the modern man’s desire to control the women nature: brows which makes it completely emotionless. but about Erika’s powerful character, which represents the successful business woman, which Larsson was re- Knowing that “Millennium” trilogy is a In Swedish version Noomi Rapace has a sim- ally fond of (according to his partner’s memoirs). versatile portrait of the nation and its culture, we “The murder of Melissa according to the media… was ilar look, but due to the way of acting, she creates are going to concentrate here only on the main a cruel and planned torture killing, but also an obvious more fragile and elegant impression, which makes There is no surprise in the fact that such a di- characters and how novels (and later films) repre- “act of insanity” based in jealousy. Her boyfriend simply her even more attractive. It is interesting to see that verse pantheon of characters inspired directors of sented very interesting aspects of gender roles in Mikael and Lisbeth keep changing gender roles be- feature films. Sweden came up with adaptation of all Scandinavia, Sweden in particular. Stieg Larsson couldn’t tolerate that Melissa wanted to choose her own tween each other. As Larsson said himself some- three books of the Millennium, plus a TV series. Da- has been claimed as a militant feminist, but what path and shape her future regardless of his wishes. While times Blomkvist acts as “a beautiful little fool,” whilst vid Fincher decides to make an American remake - and exactly has he pointed out in his books in terms of the murder of Fadime was a “culturally conditioned hon- Lisbeth Salander behaves like a man and has the char- again a success. Coupled with a fascinating story, devel- gender equality? our killing”. Her father simply couldn’t tolerate that Fad- acteristics usually attributed to men. Lisbeth saves oping on several levels, films visually recreated the at- ime wanted to choose her own path and shape her future Blomkvist life in the first book, and then he saves mosphere of Larsson’s books and attempted to convey regardless of his wishes”. her life in the second novel. Lisbeth is resisting her all of the features of the complicated gender “games” sympathy towards Mikael, but when she decides for that Larsson has used in his books. Look at the rating In his article Larsson showed no mercy to immi- herself that this is what she really wants, she goes and of all of these films, and you might agree that they grants who committed crimes just because it was a part gets it. Literally, as we could see in the scene where gained what they’ve wanted. of their culture. For writer there were no difference be- Lisbeth and Mikael spent a night together during by Valeriya Baeva tween native swedes and immigrants, if in the result the their work for Henrik Vagner. woman was hurt. Cinema Scandinavia // 24 Cinema Scandinavia // 25.

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