Fortællinger

Fortællinger is the Danish term for narratives or stories. In a broad sense, fortællinger are verbal or written accounts that convey events through language, and they may be fictional or factual. They can be transmitted orally or produced in written form, and may involve a single voice or multiple contributors.

The category includes traditional folktales (folkeeventyr) and fairy tales (eventyr), legends, as well as modern forms such as short stories (noveller), novels, memoirs, and personal narratives. It also covers documentary and journalistic storytelling, oral histories, and digital media narratives found in podcasts, blogs, and multimedia productions. Fortællinger differ in length, style, and audience, but share a common aim of organizing experience into a coherent sequence.

A fortælling typically features elements such as plot, characters, setting, and point of view. Narrative voice and perspective influence how events are interpreted, and structure can be linear or nonlinear. Themes and motifs recur across traditions and cultures, while rhetorical devices help convey mood, intention, and cultural meaning.

Historically, fortællinger originate in oral storytelling and have been central to cultural memory and education. With the rise of literacy and print, they expanded into written forms and genres, influencing Danish literature as well as broader European storytelling traditions. In contemporary use, fortællinger underpin education, journalism, fiction, and digital media, making them a versatile framework for communicating information and experience.

Etymology: The Danish noun fortælling derives from the verb fortælle, meaning to tell, reflecting the act of telling a tale.