kerfisbundnir
Kerfisbundnir is a term used in literary and folklore studies to describe a pattern by which different narrative strands are bound together through a coherent system of motifs, events, or rules. The word combines the Icelandic roots kerfi, meaning system, and bundinn (bound), effectively translating as “system-bound” or “bound by a system.”
In practice, kerfisbundnir refers to how a narrative or cultural discourse achieves unity by linking otherwise
Scholarly discussions identify several forms of kerfisbundnir: direct causal binding, where later events are explained by
The concept is used to analyze sagas, myth cycles, and modern serialized storytelling, including television, comics,
Further reading on kerfisbundnir includes studies in narrative theory and folklore that address coherence, motif theory,