In The Mercies, a small village of women are left on their own when their men all die at sea. In their culture, gender roles are specific and strict: Religion upholds the division of labor, which is in any case necessary for survival. However, with the men gone, gender roles become a danger to the women’s survival. Hargrave’s novel explores life without men and advocates for women’s empowerment as a mean of survival.

It is Kirsten who first proves that women can live on their own and for themselves. She steps into responsibilities typically reserved for men with an ease that implies Kirsten was always capable of doing more than “womanly” housework. She saves Vardø by taking over fishing, caring for the reindeer, and inspiring the women to take over the manual labor that the men’s deaths left incomplete. Kirsten therefore presents a challenge to male-dominated society: In proving that she is capable of doing men’s work, Kirsten essentially makes men disposable. Kirsten even puts on man’s pants, which shocks Maren but symbolizes Kirsten freedom. In toiling for the good of her community and finding a way to live prosperously without her husband, Kirsten discovers a sense of self, independence, and freedom.