Finnish dreams in historical and folkloristic research
Tracing sources and changing perspectives
Abstract
This article delves into the trends concerning dreams in Finnish history and folklore scholarship. Early historical and cultural research linked dreams with supernatural contacts: within the Enlightenment in a resentful tone, and by Romanticism with more understanding. Folklorists have approached dream experiences and nightmare assaults as part of the popular belief tradition. Historians have treated them first in the context of early modern
witchcraft trials, and later in letters, diaries and reports. Sleeping preachers and their religious authority have attracted the attention of scholars in various fields. In the late 20th century, research has also focused on dream narration, meaning-making and dream books. Recently, historical dimensions have emerged in psychological research on dreams. The project “Northern Nightmares, 1400–2020” combining historical and folkloristic perspectives
is currently carrying out a long-term analysis on the ideas of nightmares and the contents in them.
Keywords: dreams, nightmares, Finnish history, longterm
analysis, historiography, folklore
