Old folk traditions can sometimes seem bewildering to an outsider, especially in another country where local customs are unfamiliar. This is particularly true when observing ancient traditions that are engaged in far more frequently than one might be accustomed to. For instance, the Czech Republic, where I reside, often celebrates ancient traditions. It took some time to adjust to certain local practices. The first time I witnessed men chasing a woman with canes during Easter, I initially believed she was under attack. Another notable tradition is the burning of witches on April 30th, known as Čarodějnice. Across the country, people gather around large bonfires to burn effigies of witches, symbolizing the end of winter's grip and the arrival of spring. This is accompanied by abundant beer, music, dancing, and grilled meats. In contrast, the UK burns Guy Fawkes in November, but the Czech Čarodějnice is a far more joyous occasion, perhaps due to the shared excitement for the warmer weather.
The Premise of Midsommar
The film Midsommar centers on Dani (Florence Pugh), a psychology student deeply traumatized by her sister's suicide, which also claimed the lives of their parents. This tragedy places a significant strain on her relationship with her boyfriend, Christian (Jack Reynor). Christian and his friends, Mark (Will Poulter) and Josh (William Jackson Harper), are invited by their Swedish friend, Pelle (Vilhelm Blomgren), to attend the summer solstice celebrations in the rural commune where Pelle grew up in Hälsingland, Sweden.
Upon arriving at the remote commune, the initial impression is one of tranquility. However, this peace is shattered when the visitors witness a disturbing ritual: two elderly members of the commune willingly leap from a high cliff to their deaths. This event prompts the visitors to consider leaving, but Dani and Christian soon discover that their invitation to the festival has an ulterior motive.
Folk Traditions and the Genre of Folk Horror
The summer solstice is a significant event in many European countries. In the UK, thousands gather at Stonehenge to observe the sun aligning with the megaliths, while in the Austrian Tyrol, fires are lit on mountainsides to mark the occasion. A tradition featured in Midsommar that resonates with real-life counterparts is the maypole, a practice dating back thousands of years. The Swedish maypole is erected, adorned with leaves and flowers, serving as a central point for dancing. This tradition aligns with the commune's striking folk costumes and flower crowns. It remains common in Sweden to create floral wreaths and headdresses.
Director Ari Aster's research for Midsommar is evident, but the film's exploration of folk horror as a genre, and what makes it insidious, is a point of discussion. The film draws parallels with other notable folk horror movies, particularly The Wicker Man, in popularizing the idea that pagans and isolated rural communities once conducted human sacrifices as part of their local customs.
The Ättestupa Ritual
The film's most notorious scene depicts the two elderly commune members leaping from the cliff to their deaths. This scene is Ari Aster's interpretation of a Scandinavian myth known as Ättestupa. This myth, derived from the word for cliffs or precipices, describes a practice in prehistoric times where elderly individuals either leaped or were thrown to their deaths when they became a burden to the community.
The Extraordinary Truth Behind Greek Mythology | BBC Timestamp
Further Disturbing Practices
Another grim death depicted is that of Simon (Archie Madekwe), a fellow traveler who attempts to leave the commune. He is punished in a horrific manner, discovered strung up in a chicken coop. The film suggests he has undergone the barbarous practice known as the Blood Eagle, a ritual where a victim's ribs are severed from their spine, and their lungs are pulled out through their back.
The film's conclusion features Christian being drugged, sewn inside a bear carcass, and burned alive. This scene evokes memories of Nic Cage's portrayal in the remake of The Wicker Man. In Norse mythology, Odin sometimes took the form of a bear, and legends speak of Viking warriors wearing bearskins in battle, a practice from which the word "berserker" originates, meaning "bear-shirt" or "bear coat." Christian's death also bears resemblance to ancient Christian methods of murdering martyrs, where bones were broken before victims were sewn inside a dead horse and left to scavenging creatures.
Midsommar as a Modern Fairy Tale
Ari Aster has described Midsommar as a fairy tale, and this perspective offers a unique lens through which to view the film. While the unfolding events-murder, incest, suicide, and deceit-are far from typical children's stories, the film's aesthetic contributes to this interpretation. Shot in the beautiful Swedish countryside, with its lush forests, pastures, and quaint wooden cottages, the film creates a fantastical environment. The characters' attire, ritualistic dances, and the absence of modern technology further enhance this "once upon a time" feel.
The film's style, with its reliance on production design, creates a world that feels distinctly old-world. Characters don gowns made of flowers, engage in ritualistic dances around a maypole, play flutes, and ride in carriages. The murals resemble those painted by folk artists centuries ago, and the community's preference for runes as their form of written communication reinforces this ancient atmosphere.
Folk Horror and Fairy Tale Roots
Both Midsommar and original fairy tales find their roots in folk horror. This subgenre often features "old world" settings-cottages in the woods, small villages, and isolated communities. It frequently delves into themes of religion, which in Midsommar, is a form of Paganism, an "anti-church" that contrasts with the Christian symbolism often found in the original Grimm fairy tales.
Folk horror concepts are frequently drawn from ancient folklore. Ari Aster studied folklore from Swedish, German, and English cultures during the development of Midsommar. Folklore, by definition, is a verbal art, and fairy tales, much like Midsommar, originate from verbal folklore-stories told by women in villages to families around a campfire.
Fairy tale scholar Vladimir Propp asserted that folklore and fairy tales often follow similar tropes and structures. Nearly every fairytale begins with ABSENTATION, often the death of parents, a pattern that Midsommar mirrors with the deaths of Dani's parents and sister. This transforms Dani into a "poor maiden," not materially, but emotionally. Her journey to Sweden can be seen as a grand voyage to a new kingdom.
Dani is initially courted by a "false hero," Christian, who disregards her feelings and gaslights her. She is then "rescued" by Pelle, who, despite appearing dashing, is part of the villainous community. Ultimately, the community crowns Dani as Queen, elevating her from emotional poverty to a form of royal status, reminiscent of rags-to-riches tales. The community also exposes Christian's transgressions, leading to his death by fire.
The Moral of the Story
Unlike sanitized modern adaptations, original fairy tales often contained ghastly depictions of violence to convey moral lessons. In this vein, Midsommar, with its macabre elements, can be seen as a modern fairy tale with a moral. Ari Aster conveys, in a harrowing manner, that removing toxic people from one's life and surrounding oneself with those who genuinely appreciate us is a difficult but essential form of self-care. The film successfully transforms folk horror into a startlingly true-to-form medieval fairy tale, offering a chilling exploration of tradition, sacrifice, and personal liberation.