The Assassination of Olof Palme

A Reflection of the Modern Effects of Scandinavian Mythology?

Abstract

This paper aims to explore the continued intermingling between modern politics, Scandinavian folklore and Old Norse texts. This is done through the medium of the assassination of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme in 1986, an event that permanently changed the course of Swedish political history. Palme’s untimely murder was influenced by the Scandinavian folklore, sagas and eddas (a term for two important Old Norse texts) that are deeply intertwined with modern Swedish modes of politicking. Whether it be the alt-right radicalization of one suspect, the degeneracy of another, or the socialist and environmentalist politics of Palme himself, this paper aims to give readers a better understanding of how key Scandinavian literature is relevant in the everyday political lives of the Swedish public and political elite alike.