motívagreining

Motívagreining, literally “motif analysis” in Icelandic, is a formal method for identifying, categorising and tracing recurring thematic or symbolic elements within a text, musical work or visual artwork. The technique traces its roots to literary criticism of the 19th and early 20th centuries, when scholars such as Gustav Freytag and Walter Benjamin began to emphasise the importance of motifs in shaping narrative structure and meaning.

In practice, motívagreining involves first compiling a comprehensive list of motifs that appear in the artefact. Each instance is recorded with its context, frequency and any possible variations. Researchers then analyse how motifs contribute to character development, plot progression, mood, or the conveyance of ideological messages. Motifs can be literal objects, recurring phrases, or abstract concepts such as “freedom” or “betrayal.”

The approach is interdisciplinary. In literature, motívagreining helps reveal thematic cohesion across a novel or a writer’s oeuvre. In music, it identifies recurring melodic or harmonic fragments that bind a composition. In visual arts, it identifies recurring visual patterns or symbols that convey ideological subtexts. Icelandic scholars have applied motívagreining to medieval sagas, contemporary crime literature, and modern Icelandic films to explore national identity, gender roles and the influence of folklore.

Critics note that while motívagreining offers systematic insight, it can overlook the fluidity of meaning and the role of reader interpretation. Nevertheless, it remains a widely used analytic tool that bridges close reading with broader cultural and structural analysis.