Death and Mortality

Death is a recurring presence, depicted with both terror and peace, as in the detailed funeral customs at Svartsjö, the ghostly visions of Mamsell Fredrika, and the graveyard as a place of solace and love.

Edith's sudden hemorrhage and near-death experience underscore the fragility of life and the physical toll of fear and violence.

Edith's impending death is central, with her fragile state and the imagery of her withering away emphasizing mortality.

Death appears as a knight seeking Mamsell Fredrika, and the ghostly mass of deceased old maids underscores mortality.

Reuben's early death is the catalyst for the entire narrative, and his memory is used to instill fear of mortality in subsequent generations.