The Virgin Spring

Karin is Töre's daughter, sent on a day's journey to deliver church candles. She interacts with the herdsmen at a meal, and her fate culminates in rape and murder by the two older men. Her death becomes the catalyst for the family's crisis and a reckoning with faith, justice, and vengeance.

Ingeri accompanies Karin and is pregnant with an out-of-wedlock child, secretly worshiping Odin. She experiences fear when confronted by the one-eyed man and later witnesses the assault from a distance. She reveals the rape and murder to Töre and confesses jealous feelings that influenced her wishes, revealing a complex moral state.

Töre is a prosperous Christian patriarch who seeks justice for Karin's death. He vows to build a church at the site of the tragedy and ultimately murders the two older men and the boy involved. The siege of rage gives way to grief and prayer as he confronts the inexplicable nature of suffering.

Märeta is Karin's mother who senses something is wrong when the trio returns and later leads the household in seeking the truth. Her suspicion drives the investigation and frames the emotional core of the family’s response. She mourns Karin and participates in the collective search for answers.

Simon is the boy among the trio who reacts with guilt after the murder. He is left with Karin's body for a time and struggles with the horror of what happened, attempting to bury the evidence before fleeing with the others. His turmoil highlights the psychological cost of violence.

One of the older herdsmen who commits the rape and murder of Karin. His culpability is central to the community's moral crisis and Töre's subsequent violent retribution. He becomes a symbol of brutal impunity in the story.

The other older herdsman involved in the assault and murder of Karin. His actions contribute to the unraveling of the village's moral order and the cycle of vengeance that follows. He embodies the darker consequences of unchecked desire.

Frida is Töre's wife who witnesses the unfolding horror with horror and restraint. Her presence frames the domestic dimension of the tragedy and the shock within the family. Her reaction mirrors the communal devastation caused by Karin's death.