Feminism, violence, and Lisbeth

Thank you, Megan, for posting notes from our meeting, and Debbie, for finding information on Salandar and Pippi Longstocking. I second Annick’s thought that she would have envisioned a very different grown up Pippi than Lisbeth, but the links are intriguing.

In reference to our discussion about feminism, the passage quoted below comes from Melissa Silverstein, founder of the blog, Women and Hollywood :

“The fascination with Lisbeth crosses genders, which is one reason why the film can be a commercial success. Specifically, though, the character has become a kind of women's obsession, especially for feminists who either reject or embrace her. Many people, myself included, believe that Lisbeth is a feminist character (interestingly created by a man, clearly sprinkled with a little fairy dust by his partner of thirty years, Eva Gabrielsson, as she revealed in her recent interviews). Lisbeth is like an avenging angel for all women who have been wronged by society. How can a feminist not fall in love with a guy who has the guts to create a character that has been so screwed by the system yet retains the strength to come back and get revenge on the people who have done her wrong? On the other side of the argument are others who are adamant that a man could never have created Lisbeth and her story because they are both too feminist. Still others also believe that Lisbeth is a victim, and are very angry and disturbed by the violence depicted against women—particularly in the first novel and film (titled Men Who Hate Women in their native Sweden). True, the violence is disturbing and hard to watch. But it doesn't mean that it isn't feminist.

The debate about Lisbeth, the book, the films, and their relationship to feminism is one of the most exciting things about the upcoming film. 2010 might go down as the year when America -- both men and women -- became obsessed with books with a new feminist icon, but 2011 could go down as the year when Hollywood somehow releases a feminist film that becomes a big mainstream hit. Bring it on.” [Read more here]

Above, Silverstein mentions a few of the reactions to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by feminists that are worthy to note:

1. Lisbeth, as a feminist character, is an avenging angel;
2. Lisbeth could not have been created by a man because she is too feminist;
3. Lisbeth as victim of brutal, explicit (and unnecessary?) violence.

Silverstein clearly favors the first opinion. I find myself tending to dismiss the second opinion (why couldn’t a man create a feminist character?). But surely this list limits both feminist responses to this work (both novel and film) as well as the variations of character embodiment.

What I’m curious about is the section of the passage I put in bold. Should feminists rejoice with this character of Lisbeth? Should we be thrilled about the representation of a women who takes revenge on those who have harmed her, who cares little about societal rules and regulations? I’m pulled in different directions here.

I agree with some points made in the article “Rape and Regret: Construction and Reconstruction of the Molested Girl in Popular Culture,” in which Kim Idol articulates the very problematic representation of molested young girls as both cause and effect of certain violent societal behaviors [the article is posted on the Women and Violence Research Group's Blackboard site]. There is a specific passage from this article, beginning on the first full paragraph on page 44, which extends to 45 (spoiler alert: stop at the quote on page 45 if you don’t want to read about events in the later books) that has some convincing analysis on Lisbeth’s experiences and behaviors, which reveal just how strong she is.

Any comments?