Mimesis in crisis – experiences and tips related to content

Now the second episode in the project is out. I want to write a little about the experience so far and maybe come up with some tips. Initially, I would say that the experience goes beyond this project, I started with these sound concepts when the corona set in and we were isolated. But it is in this project that I can conceptualize the experiences.

First, I can say something about the material or the content. Basically, and something I have been doing for a while now, I retrieve the material from three different types of sources that in a way represent different linguistic areas and models of thought. The main source is the traditional, that is, what we consider originally oral sources. I started with folk tales, more specifically wondertales, but I experienced it as difficult to work with, two different demanding forms did not quite blend together. It dawned on me that wonder tales are in their form situated to the oral situation with a listener present in the here and now context. Wonder tales is as much form as content and if I changed this too much, I would take the wonder away to put it in that way.

I went to the Norse, here it is much undone, it is easy to transfer to our time and there is a lot to take off. Since Paula and I are under time pressure during this period, we are going to make three pieces by May 31st, I had to choose stories I know of, and at the same time I did not want to choose something that was already part of my repertoire. This material has also guided what I have chosen of autobiographical narratives, they all may not be full personal narratives, but detached memories that I process into slightly deficient narratives.

When it comes to the theoretical, it is a systematic language and I have tried to relate it informally to make it a little easier in form. It should sort the other material and cast an outside look at the stories that come from inside.

In addition, Paula, my creative partner in this project, wanted small documentary pieces, so I brought the microphone to various locations in the immediate area and captured sounds that I could use in each episode. At the same time, I have explained why I am where I am.

I put it together to create marvelous violations, and this is something I discuss a lot with Paula, who becomes a good devil’s lawyer.

In this episode I have retrieved the traditional material from the ancient saga: Hrolf Krakes and his warrior saga. Here follows an excerpt from the story, my translation:

It is told that one Christmas Eve when the weather was bad, and King Helgi lay in bed, there knocked gently on the door. He thought that it was not very royal to leave the poor man out there when he could offer shelter, so he went and opened the door.

He sees that there is standing a poor and filthy woman, who said, «Well you have now done, king,» and then she went into the shed.

The king said, «Take straw and the bear tfur over you so you do not freeze.»

She said, «Lend me your bed, sir, for I want to rest with you, because my life depends on it.»

The king says, «I do not want this, but if it is as you say, lie here by the bedside in your clothes; it will not hurt me.»

She now does this and the king turns away from her. A light was burning in the house and after a while he looked over the shoulder at her. Then he sees that there is a woman so beautiful that he did not think he had seen any more beautiful. She was wearing a silk gown. He then turns quickly and looks at her gently.

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Supported by Federation for European storytelling