Inger Margrethe Boberg
Encyclopedia
Inger Margrethe Boberg was a Danish folklore
researcher and writer. She studied philology
at the University of Copenhagen
and received her Master's degree
in 1925. In 1927, she stayed at Lund University
with the folklore
professor
Carl Wilhelm von Sydow. In 1934, she obtained the Dr. Phil.
degree in folkloristics
as the first woman in Denmark
. From 1932 to her death, she was archivist
at the Danish
Folklore
archive (Dansk Folkemindesamling). However, during many years, she had to occasionally take temporary jobs as a school teacher in order to provide a living for herself. Not until 1952, when she had a long-established name in international folkloristics
, she obtained a steady position.
In 1945, she received the Tagea Brandt Rejselegat
. The prize enabled her to embark on a study trip to the U.S.A, where she worked with Stith Thompson
and co-edited his Motif-Index of Folk-Literature.
Danish folklore
Danish folklore consists of folk tales, legends, songs, music, dancing, popular beliefs and traditions comuminicated by the inhabitants of towns and villages across the country, often passed on from generation to generation by word of mouth. As in neighbouring countries, interest in folklore grew...
researcher and writer. She studied philology
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
at the University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
and received her Master's degree
Master's degree in Europe
This page refers to types of Master's degrees in Europe. Please see Master's degree for more information.In order to facilitate the movement of students between European countries, a standardized schedule of higher education diplomas, also known as the Bologna process, was proposed: an...
in 1925. In 1927, she stayed at Lund University
Lund University
Lund University , located in the city of Lund in the province of Scania, Sweden, is one of northern Europe's most prestigious universities and one of Scandinavia's largest institutions for education and research, frequently ranked among the world's top 100 universities...
with the folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
Carl Wilhelm von Sydow. In 1934, she obtained the Dr. Phil.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degree in folkloristics
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
as the first woman in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. From 1932 to her death, she was archivist
Archivist
An archivist is a professional who assesses, collects, organizes, preserves, maintains control over, and provides access to information determined to have long-term value. The information maintained by an archivist can be any form of media...
at the Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
Folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
archive (Dansk Folkemindesamling). However, during many years, she had to occasionally take temporary jobs as a school teacher in order to provide a living for herself. Not until 1952, when she had a long-established name in international folkloristics
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
, she obtained a steady position.
In 1945, she received the Tagea Brandt Rejselegat
Tagea Brandt Rejselegat
The Tagea Brandt Rejselegat is awarded annually, on the 17 March.The scholarship was created and endowed by Danish industrialist Vilhelm Brandt in honor of his wife, Tagea...
. The prize enabled her to embark on a study trip to the U.S.A, where she worked with Stith Thompson
Stith Thompson
Stith Thompson was an American scholar of folklore. He is the "Thompson" of the Aarne-Thompson classification system.- Biography :...
and co-edited his Motif-Index of Folk-Literature.
Selected works
- Boberg, I.M. (1938) The Tale of Cupid and PsycheCupid and PsycheCupid and Psyche , is a legend that first appeared as a digressionary story told by an old woman in Lucius Apuleius' novel, The Golden Ass, written in the 2nd century CE. Apuleius likely used an earlier tale as the basis for his story, modifying it to suit the thematic needs of his novel.It has...
. Classica et Medievalia 1: 177-216. - Boberg, I.M. (1943) Die Sage von Vermund und UffeDan (king)Dan is the name of one or more legendary kings of the Danes in medieval Scandinavian texts.-The Lejre Chronicle:The Chronicle of Lejre written about 1170 introduces a primeval King Ypper of Uppsala whose three sons were Dan, who afterwards ruled Denmark, Nori, who afterwards ruled Norway, and...
. Acta Philologica Scandinavica 16: 129-57. - Boberg, I.M. (1953) Folkemindeforskningens historie i Mellem- og Nordeuropa [The history of Folkloristics in Central and Northern Europe]. KøbenhavnCopenhagenCopenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
: Munksgaard, 382 pp. Danmarks Folkeminder vol. 60. - Boberg, I.M. (1955) Baumeistersagen. FF communications 151: 1-24.
- Boberg, I.M. (1966) Motif-index of early Icelandic literature. Copenhagen: Munksgaard, 263 pp. Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana vol. 27.