The Murder Allegation in Karl Ove Knausgård’s Min Kamp

Abstract

This article examines a murder allegation that lies at the heart of Karl Ove Knausgård’s novel Min kamp, and posits that the allegation serves dual purposes, namely, to investigate the purported murder of Knausgård’s father and to enact revenge. These endeavors raise questions that are foundational to the study of literature, regarding interpretation and moral responsibility. While the allegation suggests a specific suspect, it relies on aesthetic devices, notably on references to Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which are analyzed in depth throughout the article. Aarstein contends that that the murder allegation constitutes both the most morally contentious and the most aesthetically striking aspect of Min kamp.