Søguvísindi og fagurbókmentir

In this article an attempt is made to use fiction as source in historical analyses. Historians see fiction as a methodological problem. It is not yet acceptable to afford a role for the historical novel in describing the historical past. Somehow, fiction ought to be invited to play its part in the research of historical events and processes. Four examples are used to highlight certain issues - a painting, a novel, a short story and a poem concerning Tórshavn in the past century. In general, the aim is to get closer to the historical truth and to emphasise that historians need to validate the role of the historical novel. This article is to be seen as a modest attempt to build a bridge between history and literature.