Older folklore of Sweden
Katedralskolan, Uppsala
Swedish folklores
How can we see them in the modern Swedish society?
Ottilia Friberg
Tutor: Joan Lindberg
Contents
- Introduction
- The most common Swedish folklores:
Näcken
Skogsrået-The Wood Nymph
Trolls
Witches
Tomtar- Gnomes
- Analysis – what traces of the folklores can we see in the modern Swedish society?
- Conclusion
- Abstract
- Bibliography
- Source criticism:
Introduction
For hundreds of years, the Swedish people have told stories about supernatural creatures living in the unknown woods and the darkest shadows. The history of Sweden is filled with myths, legends and beliefs. What creatures were the most common ones here and what did people think of them? This is what one can read about in this paper, and also the role of witches and the witch hunts and what we can still see of them today.
What will also be discussed is what traces of the folklores we can see in modern society here in Sweden, what all these old stories have led to, so to say.
The most common folklores in Sweden
Since there were so many various stories told about different supernatural creatures and even more different versions of them depending on where in Sweden they were told, it would be almost impossible to describe them all. Therefore, only the most common ones are described here. One should keep in mind that these are only a few interpretations of the old legends and that they may look a little different in other contexts. These are the beings that have managed to stay alive in people´s minds and that we still tell some stories about in Sweden today:
Näcken
Näcken is one of the most common legendary figures found in Swedish folklore. He has often been described as a little man wearing grey clothing and a red hat, or as young and handsome, but the descriptions of him differ strongly depending on where in the country they were told. A proficient shapeshifter, he could take shape of various different animals. The most famous animal that he is
Swedish folklores
How can we see them in the modern Swedish society?
Ottilia Friberg
Tutor: Joan Lindberg
Contents
- Introduction
- The most common Swedish folklores:
Näcken
Skogsrået-The Wood Nymph
Trolls
Witches
Tomtar- Gnomes
- Analysis – what traces of the folklores can we see in the modern Swedish society?
- Conclusion
- Abstract
- Bibliography
- Source criticism:
Introduction
For hundreds of years, the Swedish people have told stories about supernatural creatures living in the unknown woods and the darkest shadows. The history of Sweden is filled with myths, legends and beliefs. What creatures were the most common ones here and what did people think of them? This is what one can read about in this paper, and also the role of witches and the witch hunts and what we can still see of them today.
What will also be discussed is what traces of the folklores we can see in modern society here in Sweden, what all these old stories have led to, so to say.
The most common folklores in Sweden
Since there were so many various stories told about different supernatural creatures and even more different versions of them depending on where in Sweden they were told, it would be almost impossible to describe them all. Therefore, only the most common ones are described here. One should keep in mind that these are only a few interpretations of the old legends and that they may look a little different in other contexts. These are the beings that have managed to stay alive in people´s minds and that we still tell some stories about in Sweden today:
Näcken
Näcken is one of the most common legendary figures found in Swedish folklore. He has often been described as a little man wearing grey clothing and a red hat, or as young and handsome, but the descriptions of him differ strongly depending on where in the country they were told. A proficient shapeshifter, he could take shape of various different animals. The most famous animal that he is
Bibliography: 3. “Svenska Allmogens Lif i Folksed, Folktro och Folkdiktning” by Tobias Norlind (1912) Probably, the first thing one think when seeing this book is that it is very old