Background: This paper is looking back on one of Sweden’s internationally most famous woman, Ellen Key, who was active 100 years ago. She was famous because of her interest in philosophy, politic, ethical and cultural issues but maybe most of all because of her standpoints concerning teaching and learning. She is perhaps most of all connected to the concept of “bildung” and ideas about bringing up children in a spirit much inspired by the ideas of Rousseau. The aesthetic side of the teaching environment was also of her concern. The overall aim of the paper is to turn back to Ellen Key in order to illuminate her way of looking upon teaching and learning. The more specific aim of the study is first of all to interpret Ellen Key’s way of approaching teaching and learning by using Paul Ricours notion of mimesis (1984). Mimesis refers to narratives and how they are imbued with temporal dimensions. He distinguished three types of mimeses, a plot, perspective taking and the third step is one of closure and reciprocity. Secondly the aim of the study is to interpret Key’s way of understanding cultivation by using Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s notion of perception (1962).

The texts are analysed by inspiration of the hermeneutic approach, with a special focus on Paul Ricour (1984).

The notion of Mimises contributes to a certain way of understanding how pre-understanding can connect to new knowledge. Also the embodied way of understanding “bildung” is here connected to Merleau-Pontys’ way of describing embodied knowledge.