Sinners, Saints and Sacrifice:

A Thematic Analysis of Love in Gösta Berlings Saga,

Miss Julie, and Let the Right One In.

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Allegra Geller

January 2013

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‘I suspect that love is rather like a hyacinth, which has to put its roots down in the darkness

before it can produce a strong flower. Here it shoots up, blooms, and goes to seed all in a

moment, and that is why it does so quickly.’1

A twelve year old boy living in a modern Stockholm suburb abandons his parents in

order to serve and protect a bloodthirsty child vampire. A drunken, deposed minister becomes

romantically involved with five women of the elite class in Värmland County during the early

19th century. On Midsummer Night of 1874, the daughter of a Swedish Count succumbs to the

attentions of her servant and pays the ultimate price. Despite great divides of time, place and

class, all of these characters are nevertheless united by one powerful theme: love.

Both unrequited and obsessive, it is love which typifies the central figures in John Ajvide

Lindqvist’s 2004 crime-horror novel ‘Let the Right One In’, Selma Lagerlöf’s late 19th century

Romantic epic ‘The Saga of Gösta Berling’ and August Strindberg’s misogynistic 1888 play,

‘Miss Julie’. An analysis of the themes of love prevalent in these three works, and how these

themes relate to symbols of good and evil, sin and sacrifice, enables the reader to better

understand the choices made by the characters, as well as the consequences of these choices.

Eli is a centuries-old vampire living in the body of a deceptively fragile youth. Although

he is a monster who requires fresh human blood to survive, he is the catalyst for the unrequited

love experienced by his companion Håkan at the beginning of ‘Let the Right One In’, as well as

the tender, devoted love felt by twelve-year-old Oskar near the novel’s conclusion. Håkan and

Oskar embody both love and sacrifice, and as such, are willing to sin and endure for love of Eli.

Håkan, a pedophile who is desperately obsessed with Eli and his young body, believes

that real love ‘is to offer your life at the feet of another.’2 He sins repeatedly, murdering young

1 August Strindberg, Miss Julie and Other Plays, (Oxford: Oxford University Press Inc., 1998), p 63.

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victims in order to drain their blood for the vampire’s sustenance. At the beginning of the novel,

as he is about to kill a teenage boy, he has the thought that ‘this is going to hell.’3 Literally,

Håkan fears the murder will not go according to his plan, but figuratively, his thoughts reveal his

knowledge that he will soon be punished, and die for the sins he has committed. Eli tells Håkan

that he loves him, but they are empty words used to bind the man in servitude to him, and

although Håkan knows this, he remains in the thrall of unrequited love. For Håkan, love of Eli

‘dictated his life’ to the point of sacrificing his identity.4 When his apprehension is certain,

Håkan pours acid over his face, so that his capture will not lead the authorities to Eli. As the acid

disfigures him, he screams Eli’s name, which the police later interpret as a mimicking of Christ’s

last words on the cross: ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ (My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken

me?) an assumption which casts Eli in the role of a god.5

Despite being worshipped as a god by Håkan, Eli is nevertheless the epitome of evil

throughout the story; a ruthless creature dependent on the blood of human victims for survival,

who ultimately ruins the lives of all who love him. After the demise of Håkan, young Oskar

becomes the sole worshipper and servant of Eli. Oskar is symbolic of a saint in the novel. He is

persecuted by others, the victim of merciless bullying at school, yet he willingly sacrifices

everything – his home, family, and future – in order to love and serve Eli. Early on in their

friendship, Oskar’s future decision to devote himself to the vampire is foreshadowed when he

silently makes a vow: ‘Eli, Eli….I’m going to help you. I’m going to save you.’6 His obsessive

love for Eli is evident in the way he prays to God for Eli’s return, after they have been apart only

a short time. Desperately, Oskar prays with a willingness to sacrifice anything for Eli’s return;

2 John Ajvide Lindqvist, Let the Right One In, (London: Quercus, 2009), p 21. 3 Lindqvist, p 26. 4 Lindqvist, p 45. 5 Lindqvist, p 164. 6 Lindqvist, p 86.

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‘Please, dear God….you can have whatever you like.’7 Throughout the events of the novel,

Oskar becomes completely dependent on his relationship with Eli, choosing him over everyone

and everything, including his own parents. At the end of the book, Eli rescues Oskar from being

maimed by bullies, violently killing his attackers. It is interesting, that although Eli is essentially

a ruthless monster, witnesses of the murders claim that Oskar was ‘rescued by an angel.’8

Throughout the novel, the characters revolve around each other in a dance of dependence.

Eli the vampire is the embodiment of evil, causing others to sin for his survival, but he also gives

rise to intense devotion and love. Both Håkan as the sinner and Oskar as the saint love Eli

beyond measure. Håkan sacrifices his identity for Eli’s safety, and Oskar ultimately leaves

everything he has ever known behind to start a new life elsewhere with his beloved, in a

poignant act of self-sacrifice at the novel’s end.

Similar themes of love and sacrifice, as well as characters symbolizing both saints and

sinners can be determined in ‘Gösta Berling's Saga.’ The story revolves around the adventures

of failed minister Gösta Berling over the course of one year. Gösta is both sinner and saint in the

saga, embodying Christ-like features while he sins his way to eventual redemption. As a symbol

of Christ, he lives with twelve other men, the aptly named ‘cavaliers’, is a great orator, former

carpenter, and longs for salvation. Conversely, as an archetype of sin, he becomes romantically

and inappropriately involved with various women not of his class.

Of the numerous women that become entangled with Gösta, Anna Stjärnhök, Marianne

Sinclaire, Countess Elisabet and Ebba Dohna are the most significant. All four women make

choices with life-changing consequences due to obsessive love (though not necessarily solely out

of love for Gösta Berling). Ultimately, the women all make dramatic sacrifices, and willingly

7 Lindqvist, p 184. 8 Lindqvist, p 517.

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suffer great loss. Out of love for these women, Gösta also sacrifices of himself – he sins

repeatedly through love, and as such, is denied (until the novel’s conclusion) the redemption he

needs to live a happy and fulfilled life.

As the first women to fall in love with Gösta in the story, Anna Stjärnhök emphasizes

Gösta’s role as a Christ-figure by referring to him as ‘a king among men, a born king.’9

Although she is promised to marry a young man named Ferdinand, Anna chooses to become

engaged to a wealthy elderly gentleman. Gösta intervenes, to ‘prevent our most beautiful and

richest girl from marrying that old man,’ resulting in he and Anna ‘obeying the call of love’ and

declaring their love to one another.10

Gösta soon suffers guilt because of his actions, although he

admits that the ‘sin was sweet.’11

He pleads with Anna to remain faithful to her original

betrothed Ferdinand, and his family. Out of love for Gösta, she acquiesces, saying ‘I will do

what you want – sacrifice myself and smile at it.’12

Later on in the novel, Ferdinand dies, and in

an act of absolute sacrifice necessary to console Ferdinand’s grieving mother, Anna swears over

his grave: ‘Never will I belong to another.’13

Marianne Sinclaire also falls in love with Gösta, resulting in her being disowned by her

father, who considers her being in love with the defrocked minister as akin to being ‘dragged in

filth.’14

Gösta and his cavaliers rescue the abandoned and bereft Marianne, bringing her to live

with them, though as events unfold, tragedy ensues. Out of love for Gösta, when she discovers

that he is in danger, Marianne risks smallpox and travels to Sjö to get help. ‘Acting in the

madness of love’ Marianne saves Gösta but loses her renowned beauty when she becomes

9 Selma Lagerlöf, Gösta Berling's Saga, (London: Penguin Books Ltd., 2009), p 56.

10 Lagerlöf, p 57. 11 Lagerlöf, p 60. 12 Lagerlöf, p 61. 13 Lagerlöf, p 312. 14 Lagerlöf, p 76.

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infected with smallpox. Not only does she sacrifice her beauty, but also love, when she chooses

to return to her now-repentant father, despite Gösta swearing that he would not leave her, and

that he ‘owed her his life’ and ‘could commit mortal sins for her sake.’15

Further sacrifice is

evident in Marianne considering her rejection of Gösta as ‘her lifelong sorrow.’16

The young Countess Elisabet becomes obsessed with Gösta, although she is married.

Gösta worships her, desiring only to ‘serve her, adore her’ and ‘devote a lifetime to her

service.’17

Like Marianne before her, Elisabet ‘walks a dreadful, dangerous, path to whisper a

word of warning to Gösta Berling’, an action which results in her being shamed by her husband

and his mother.18

The Countess ultimately sacrifices her station in life, as well as her security and

wealth for love of Gösta.

Ebba Dohna, the young, pious sister of the Count, is revealed in the novel through the

telling of a story, as she has already died. In yet another depiction of him as a Christ symbol,

Ebba encourages Gösta, with whom she is in love, to swear that ‘he would become a herald of

God’s word’.19

When she discovers Gösta’s sinful past, the devout Ebba declares that she cannot

love him, as to do so would be parting her from God. She commits the ultimate sin by bringing

death upon herself by exposing her frail body to the elements.

In ‘Gösta Berling's Saga’, the character of Gösta embodies both saint and sinner, much

like Oskar and in ‘Let the Right One In.’ Although Oskar’s sins are yet to be committed, both

Gösta and Oskar willingly sacrifice what is important to them (home, redemption) out of love for

others. Oskar’s love for Eli is ultimately unrequited, as the vampire is incapable of emotion,

whereas Gösta’s love for Anna, Marianne and Ebba is doomed to failure. Håkan, Oskar, and the

15 Lagerlöf, p 124. 16 Lagerlöf, p 133. 17 Lagerlöf, p 158. 18 Lagerlöf, p 211. 19 Lagerlöf, p 182.

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women who fall in love with Gösta make great sacrifices for love: sanity, identity, home,

happiness, position in society, even life itself.

Comprised of only three characters, August Strindberg’s play ‘Miss Julie’ is a short

literary work that nevertheless illustrates ‘the brutal, cynical, heartless drama that life presents.’20

The play involves Miss Julie, the daughter of a Count, Jean, an ambitious servant, and the cook,

Kristin. Of the three, Kristin, who ‘overflows with morality and religion’ is the embodiment of

saintliness.21

She can also be viewed as a Christ symbol, due to Jean fearing her, as she ‘knows

his dangerous secrets’, much like people fear an all-knowing God.22

Kristin is present at the

beginning of the play, then falls asleep, and in that state of innocence misses the sins and drama

which occur between Julie and Jean on Midsummer Night.

Jean is a sinner; he seduces Julie, and is both selfish and self-absorbed. He hopes to

manipulate Julie so that he may better his station in life; conversely, he also admits to being sick

with love for her, and to falling in love with her the first time he saw her. Julie is also a sinner; a

coquette, a flirt, a tease and temptress. She indulges her sado-masochistic urges, such as making

her (ex) fiancé jump over a riding whip ‘like a dog which one is teaching to hop.’23

Jean changes

into a black coat and black hat prior to his intense conversation with Julie, symbolizing his role

as the evil seducer, and as they battle with words, Julie strikes Jean in the face with her

handkerchief, a symbol of imminent adversity or struggle. He warns her that ‘it’s dangerous to

play with fire’ and refers to himself as ‘inflammable material’ which is ‘pretty close.’24

This is a

metaphor for himself as evil, as well as for her imminent descent into sin and damnation.

20 Strindberg, p 57. 21 Strindberg, p 63. 22 Strindberg, p 62. 23 Strindberg, p 4. 24 Strindberg, p 14.

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Julie and Jean are obsessed with each other, and although Jean despises her for her airs of

superiority, he nonetheless persuades Julie to give in to desire, reassuring her that he will be true

to her: ‘Then come into my room. Necessity knows no law, and you can rely on my being your

real, sincere and respectful friend.’25

After they succumb to their lust, Julie begs Jean to declare

his love for her: ‘Tell me that you love me, dear, if you don’t – why, what am I, if you don’t?’26

When it becomes apparent that she has made a grievous error in trusting in Jean, Julie

acknowledges the overwhelming power of obsessive love, when she screams: ‘What awful

power dragged me down to you? Do you know what love is?’27

Although Jean denies Julie’s

love for him, claiming that she has been ‘the prey of a mad fit’ he acknowledges his own

obsession with her, claiming that the desire she has roused ‘will never be extinguished.’28

The morning after Midsummer Night, Kristin reappears and reminds Jean that they are to

attend Communion service together that day. She hands Jean his white shirt and tie, which he

puts on. Both the reference to Communion and Jean’s donning of the white clothing are symbols

of his desire for redemption after his night of sin with Julie. Kristin’s role as the saint is further

reaffirmed by her refusal to join Jean and Julie in their mad schemes, and by her stating that she

will attend church and return with redemption for both sinners. At the play’s end, Julie

succumbs to obsession and begs Jean to give her orders, which she will ‘obey like a dog.’29

She

warms her hands in the morning sunlight, as if ‘warming them by a fire’ symbolizing her

imminent descent into the ultimate sin of self-sacrifice.30

She then takes a razor from Jean and

walks outside to commit suicide.

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Strindberg, p 20. 26 Strindberg, p 22. 27 Strindberg, p 24. 28 Strindberg, p 27. 29 Strindberg, p 46. 30 Strindberg, p 47.

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By taking her own life, Miss Julie commits the most extreme act of sacrifice, much like

Ebba Dohna does in bringing about her own death via exposure to the elements in ‘Gösta

Berling's Saga.’ Although it doesn’t bring about his immediate demise, Håkan pouring acid on

his face in ‘Let the Right One In’ is no less dramatic of an act of self-sacrifice. Although the

unrequited love Julie feels for Jean is similar to what Håkan feels for Eli, Eli uses Håkan’s love

to his own end, whereas Jean attempts to use Julie’s love to better his own situation. Håkan is

obsessed with Eli, much like Jean feels towards Jean, though they both harbor deep-seated hatred

towards what is ugly and monstrous in their respective objects of desire. Kristin’s saintliness

mirrors both Oskar in his innocence, as well as the goodness and selflessness of Anna Stjärnhök,

Marianne Sinclaire, Countess Elisabet and Ebba Dohna.

At first glance, Let the Right One In’, ‘Gösta Berling's Saga’ and ‘Miss Julie’ have little

in common. One takes place in the suburbs of modern Stockholm, while the others unfold at

opposite ends of the 19th

century. A crime-horror novel, a Romantic saga and a play about class

struggle – while all three differ greatly, they nevertheless possess significant parallels in theme.

When viewed from the perspective of obsessive and unrequited love, it is not difficult to perceive

the characters in the works as embodiments of both saint and sinner. Most pervasive is the

theme of sacrifice, which dominates each of the relationships that occur between the respective

characters. Whether a surrender of identity, hope of salvation, or of life itself, the sacrifices

made in these stories are both poignant and dramatic, and undoubtedly shape the way the reader

perceives both the characters, as well as the works themselves.

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Works Cited

Lagerlöf, Selma. Gösta Berling's Saga. London: Penguin Books Ltd., 2009.

Lindqvist, John Ajvide. Let the Right One In. London: Quercus, 2009.

Strindberg, August. Miss Julie and Other Plays. Oxford: Oxford University Press Inc., 1998.