Heroines of Norwegian silent cinema: Nordic femininity and conventions of cinematic whiteness.

This article examines the representation and staging of female leads in Norwegian silent cinema through the lens of whiteness, particularly focusing on how whiteness intersects with class, gender, and ethnicity. Drawing on Richard Dyer’s theories about Hollywood heroines embodying ethereal qualities that signify moral and racial superiority, the analysis reveals that Norwegian silent films from the 1910s to the late 1920s depict heroines whose whiteness becomes increasingly unambiguous, often aligned with upper-class virtue and national identity. The study situates these portrayals within Norway’s nation-building context and the influence of eugenic ideas, highlighting how films negotiate tensions around ethnicity—especially regarding Romani and Sámi characters—and class, with whiteness frequently linked to moral superiority and social hierarchy. Ultimately, the article argues that Norwegian silent cinema’s female protagonists perform whiteness aesthetically and narratively, reinforcing dominant notions of Nordic femininity while reflecting broader socio-political discourses of the era.