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Unwrapping Yuletide : A Century of Icelandic Traditions

This study analyzes the evolution and impact of Icelandic mythology surrounding the Yule Lads and their family, with a specific focus on how these stories affected their beliefs and behaviors from the early 1900s to the present. These folklore figures include the thirteen Yule Lads, their mother Grýla, their father Leppalúdi, and their cat. Icelandic texts from the 13th century describe these characters as terrifying, with Grýla renowned as a cannibalistic figure in Icelandic history. The study intends to explore how stories and anxieties about the Yule Lads have evolved throughout time. The main question is how traditions and myths involving Yule Lads and Grýla have changed over the past century. What roles did these personalities play in early twentieth-century Icelandic Christmas traditions, and what changes have happened since? Additional inquiries investigate the causes of these shifts and their influence on modern Icelandic culture. The study combines historical analysis of folklore collections with present-day interviews to get insight into the cultural importance and history of these stories.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:su-231750
Date January 2024
CreatorsGunnlaugsdottir, Gudrun
PublisherStockholms universitet, Etnologi
Source SetsDiVA Archive at Upsalla University
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeStudent thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text
Formatapplication/pdf
Rightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

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