Fortellersstil

Fortellersstil is a term used in literary studies to describe the way a storyteller presents a narrative—the voice, perspective and discursive choices through which events are conveyed—rather than the events themselves. It encompasses how the story is told, including the narrator’s level of knowledge, attitude and commentary, as well as the linguistic and rhythmic qualities of the narration. In narratology, fortellersstil is closely linked to concepts such as focalization, point of view, reliability, and direct versus indirect discourse.

Key features include the narrator’s position (omniscient, limited to a character, or absent in favor of a focalization through a character), the degree of commentary or interpretation provided by the narrator, and the balance between showing through description and action versus telling through exposition. The style also covers the discourse mode, such as direct speech, indirect speech, or reported speech, as well as the tempo, sentence length, diction and figurative language used to present the tale.

The concept is applied across genres, including novels, fairy tales and oral storytelling traditions, and is used to analyze how different narrators shape readers’ interpretation. It is often contrasted with other aspects of narrative technique that concern plot (what happens) rather than how it is told. Fortellersstil interacts with considerations of credibility, distance, and voice, and it can be redirected in adaptations to film or other media, where the narration may be reinterpreted or transformed.

In studies, fortellersstil is related to broader discussions in narratology about voice, perspective, and narrative authority, and is a useful tool for examining how a text’s presentation influences meaning. See also narratology, focalization, and point of view.