Gripla - 20.12.2017, Síða 38

GRIPLA38
S U M M A R Y
Glittering Weavings from the Past: the Contribution of Women to the Collection
of Folktales and Legends in East Iceland
Keywords: folktale collection, collecting practices, source network, women’s
education, folktale manuscripts
In this article, the working practices of Jón Árnason (1819–88) and one of his
contributors, the reverend Sigurður Gunnarsson (1812–78) are examined with
regard to their collecting of Icelandic folktales (see Íslenzkar þjóðsögur og æfintýri,
1862–64). Sigurður lived in eastern Iceland with his family at Desjarmýri, and later
at Hallormsstaður, and he collected many stories and tales from participants in his
parish. His source network consisted of twelve individuals: eight men and four
women. this article sheds light on the contribution of Elísabet, Sigurður’s teenage
daughter; Lára Sigfúsdóttir and Brandþrúður Benónísdóttir, who were both maids;
and Sæbjörg Guðmundsdóttir, a pauper. Each of these women contributed their
stories and tales in written form or as oral sources to the collection of folktales and
legends. It is suggested that their participation in the collecting of this material
around the middle of the nineteenth century might have been a way for them to
channel their thirst for education and knowledge.
Romina Werth
Doktorsnemi í íslenskum bókmenntum
Gimli
Sæmundargötu 10
ÍS-101 Reykjavík
row1@hi.is
Aðalheiður Guðmundsdóttir
Prófessor í íslenskum bókmenntum fyrri alda
Árnagarði við Suðurgötu
ÍS-101 Reykavík
adalh@hi.is