This thesis investigates gossip and rumours through a narrative lens in order to understand what kind of stories emanated from eighteenth-century Stockholm, and what these stories reveal about the moral values and concerns of the urban community. Using records from the consistory court and the lower courts of Stockholm, the thesis sheds some light on the stories which tend to go under the radar, and gives insights into the subtle facets of urban life, wherein gossip nurtured a culture of speculation and suspicion. By uncovering the narratives which preoccupied the urban population of Stockholm, some thematical patterns have emerged: people gossiped about sexual immorality, marital disorder, financial dishonesty, and perceived threats against the Lutheran faith. Typically, these stories seem to have emanated from the neighbourhood or the household. The study also shows that gossip and rumours told the stories of those who violated core moral values – stories that heavily relied on a repertoire of narrative tropes and figures to portray those who transgressed social and moral boundaries. These stories reveal a deep concern for – even fear of – the hidden threats in the urban fabric: immoral characters disguised as honest members of the community. As inversions of core values, these narrative stereotypes were perceived as dangerous threats to social order and unity, whose actions could have far-reaching implications for society at large. As such, these were symbolically charged and value-laden stories. Through highlighting the coercive aspects of these stories, this thesis also argues that gossip provided urban communities with an opportunity to voice collective concerns and protect community values by unmasking hidden threats, and control or stigmatise transgressors.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:uu-530751 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Pettersson Schweitzer, Lina |
| Publisher | Uppsala universitet, Historiska institutionen |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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