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Why was Anders Bordingâs Den danske Mercurius unusual for a newspaper?
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Danish literature
Jelling stone, raised by King Gorm the Old in the 10th century as a memorial to his wife, Queen Thyre.
Anders Bordingâs Den danske Mercurius, founded in 1666, is considered the first Danish newspaper. It was unusual because, unlike standard news publications, it presented its reports entirely in rhymed alexandrines. This stylistic choice reflected the broader 17th-century trend in Danish literature to adhere strictly to classical poetic forms, such as the alexandrine, hexameter, and sonnet, rather than utilizing the prose format typical of journalism.1