The Frisian identity invented through folktales

Abstract

In the nineteenth century Frisian folktales became a popular subject of interest in the intellectual Frisian climate. This was the result of different cultural and political developments in the Frisian society in this period. The interest in folktales is motivated by the search for a Frisian cultural identity. It was believed that folktales embodied the authentic Frisian soul. The folktales were used to construct a Frisian identity. In this thesis is examined through six original Frisian folktales how the Frisian identity is expressed.