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Killing the Fathers of Värmland: Sacrificial Violence in Scandinavian Folklore.

The article focuses on how Scandinavian folklore, particularly the legend of Höök in Värmland, illustrates the Girardian theory of sacrificial violence and victim transformation. Topics include the mythologizing of communal violence through storytelling, the evolving narrative construction around sc...

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Published in:Contagion: Journal of Violence, Mimesis & Culture Vol. 32; pp. 137 - 164
Main Author: Teitelbaum, Benjamin R.
Format: Article
Published: Michigan State University Press 2025
Subjects:
Scandinavian folklore
Sacrifice
Violence
Storytelling
Scapegoat
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
Summary:The article focuses on how Scandinavian folklore, particularly the legend of Höök in Värmland, illustrates the Girardian theory of sacrificial violence and victim transformation. Topics include the mythologizing of communal violence through storytelling, the evolving narrative construction around scapegoats, and the cultural process of turning victims into revered figures.