”I sommar tar skogen tillbaka vad han försökte stjäla av den” Noveller av Erik Kuoksu och Lars Landgren genom ekogotisk analys

Abstract

The environmental crisis, climate change and a growing awareness towards man’s relationship with nature and his own role in it has inspired a dark theoretical approach to dark depictions of nature. Simultaneously, a trend has emerged among Swedish and Nordic authors and filmmakers which has drawn attention around the world. This trend draws back on pre-industrial and pagan myths and folklore, as well as a dark depiction of the nature-culture dichotomy. The thesis presented here examines the relationship between nature and horror in contemporary Swedish short prose by authors Erik Kuoksu and Lars Landgren. The short stories analysed are “Karsikko” and “Tallarna på Supasvaara” from Kuoksu’s Autio (2011), and “Ravnevall” and “Avholmsberget” from Landgren’s Ljusnan du mörka (2021). By analysing the short stories’ use of Swedish folklore and folktales, and analysing the fictional characters’ attitudes towards and experiences of nature, this thesis aims to apply the EcoGothic and Swedish and Nordic Gothic theories on material previously never scholarly analysed. The thesis also investigates the way the depiction of nature is used to express horror and gothic ambience in the short stories. The results show a strong relationship between the analysed material and the contemporary Swedish and Nordic Gothic trend as well as the EcoGothic field. Finally, the results respond to the thesis purpose by exposing and making visible connections between horror and nature in the selected material.