Citizendia
Your Ad Here

The Poetic Edda is a collection of Old Norse poems primarily preserved in the Icelandic mediaeval manuscript Codex Regius. Old Norse is the North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( A manuscript is any Document that is Written by hand as opposed to being printed or reproduced in some other way Codex Regius (which is Latin for "King's Book" in Icelandic Konungsbók) (GKS 2365 4to is an Icelandic Manuscript ( Along with Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda the Poetic Edda is the most important extant source on Norse mythology and Germanic heroic legends. Snorri Sturluson (1178 – September 23, 1241) was an Icelandic historian poet and politician The Prose Edda, also known as the Younger Edda, Snorri's Edda ( Snorra Edda) or simply Edda, is an Norse mythology comprises the indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and Legends of the Scandinavian peoples including those who settled on Iceland

Codex Regius was written in the 13th century but nothing is known of its whereabouts until 1643 when it came into the possession of Brynjólfur Sveinsson, then Bishop of Skálholt. Brynjólfur Sveinsson (1605&ndash1675 served as the Lutheran Bishop of the village Skálholt in the south of Iceland. Skálholt ( Old Icelandic: Skálaholt) is an historical site situated in the south of Iceland at the river Hvítá. At that time versions of Snorri's Edda were well known in Iceland but scholars speculated that there once was another Edda—an Elder Edda—which contained the pagan poems which Snorri quotes in his book. Norse paganism is a term used to describe the religious traditions which were common amongst the Germanic tribes living in Nordic countries prior to and When Codex Regius was discovered, it seemed that this speculation had proven correct. Brynjólfur attributed the manuscript to Sæmundr the Learned, a larger-than-life 12th century Icelandic priest. Sæmundr Sigfússon or Sæmundr fróði ( Sæmundr the Learned) (1056 &ndash 1133 was an Icelandic priest and scholar While this attribution is rejected by modern scholars, the name Sæmundar Edda is still sometimes encountered.

Bishop Brynjólfur sent Codex Regius as a present to the Danish king, hence the name. For centuries it was stored in the Royal Library in Copenhagen but in 1971 it was returned to Iceland.

Contents

Style

The Eddic poems are composed in alliterative verse. In prosody, alliterative verse is a form of verse that uses Alliteration as the principal structuring device to unify lines of poetry as opposed to Most are in fornyrðislag, while málaháttr is a common variation. In prosody, alliterative verse is a form of verse that uses Alliteration as the principal structuring device to unify lines of poetry as opposed to Málaháttr is a poetic metre in Old Norse poetry, which is usually described as "conversational style" The rest, about a quarter, are composed in ljóðaháttr. In prosody, alliterative verse is a form of verse that uses Alliteration as the principal structuring device to unify lines of poetry as opposed to

The language of the poems is usually clear and relatively unadorned. While kennings are often employed they do not rise to the frequency or complexity found in skaldic poetry. A kenning ( Old Norse kenning, Modern Icelandic pronunciation) is a Circumlocution used instead of an ordinary Noun in Old Norse The skald was a member of a group of Poets whose courtly poetry (Icelandic dróttkvæði) is associated with the courts of Scandinavian and Icelandic

Authorship

Like most early poetry the Eddic poems were minstrel poems, passing orally from singer to singer and from poet to poet for centuries. minstrel was a medieval European Bard who performed songs whose lyrics told stories about distant places or about real or imaginary historical events None of the poems are attributed to a particular author though many of them show strong individual characteristics and are likely to have been the work of individual poets. Scholars sometimes speculate on hypothetical authors but firm and accepted conclusions have never been reached.

Time of composition

The dating of the poems has been a lively source of scholarly argument for a long time. Firm conclusions are hard to reach. While lines from the Eddic poems sometimes appear in poems by known poets such evidence is difficult to evaluate. For example Eyvindr skáldaspillir, composing in the latter half of the 10th century, uses in his Hákonarmál a couple of lines also found in Hávamál. Eyvindr Finnsson skáldaspillir was a 10th century Norwegian Skald. Hákonarmál is a skaldic poem which the Skald Eyvindr skáldaspillir composed about the fall of the Norwegian king Hákon the Hávamál (" Sayings of the high one " is presented as a single poem in the Poetic Edda. It is possible that he was quoting a known poem but it is also possible that Hávamál, or at least the strophe in question, is the younger derivative work.

The few demonstrably historical characters mentioned in the poems, like Attila, provide a terminus post quem of sorts. P Q R The dating of the manuscripts themselves provides a more useful terminus ante quem.

Individual poems have individual clues to their age. For example Atlamál hin groenlenzku is claimed by its title, and seems by some internal evidence, to have been composed in Greenland. Atlamál in gr&oelignlenzku ( The Greenlandic Lay of Atli) is one of the heroic poems of the Poetic Edda. Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat meaning "Land of the Greenlanders" Grønland is a self-governing Danish Province located between the If so, it can be no earlier than about 985 since there were no Scandinavians in Greenland until that time. Events By Place Europe Barcelona is sacked by Al-Mansur. Greenland is colonized by Icelandic

In some cases old poems can have been interpolated with younger verses or merged with other poems. For example stanzas 9-16 of Völuspá, the "Dvergatal" or "Catalogue of Dwarfs", is considered to be an interpolation. Völuspá ( Prophecy of the Völva) is the first and best known poem of the Poetic Edda.

Location of composition

The problem of dating the poems is linked with the problem of finding out where they were composed. Since Iceland was not settled until about 870, anything composed before that time would necessarily have been elsewhere, most likely in Norway. Events By Place Europe Prague Castle is founded The Great Summer Army invades England and conquers Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Any young poems, on the other hand, are likely Icelandic in origin.

Scholars have attempted to localize individual poems by studying the geography, flora and fauna which they refer to. This approach usually does not yield firm results. While there are, for example, no wolves in Iceland we can be sure that Icelandic poets were familiar with the species. Similarly the apocalyptic descriptions of Völuspá have been taken as evidence that the poet who composed it had seen a volcanic eruption in Iceland - but this is hardly certain. Völuspá ( Prophecy of the Völva) is the first and best known poem of the Poetic Edda.

Editions

Some poems similar to those found in Codex Regius are normally also included in editions of the Poetic Edda. Important manuscripts include AM 748 I 4to, Hauksbók and Flateyjarbók. AM 748 I 4to is an Icelandic vellum manuscript fragment containing several Eddaic poems. The Hauksbók ( Book of Haukr) is one of the few medieval Norse manuscripts of which we know the author The Flatey Book, (Flateyjarbók 'Flat-island book' is one of the most important medieval Icelandic Manuscripts It is also known as GkS 1005 fol Many of the poems are quoted in Snorri's Edda but usually only in bits and pieces.

What poems are included in an edition of the Poetic Edda depends on the editor. Those not in Codex Regius are sometimes called Eddica minora from their appearance in an edition with that title edited by Andreas Heusler and Wilhelm Ranisch in 1903. Year 1903 ( MCMIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar or a Common year starting

English translators are not consistent on the translations of the names of the Eddic poems or on how the Old Norse forms should be rendered in English. Up to three translations are given below, taken from the translations of Bellows, Hollander, and Larrington with proper names in the normalized English forms found in Lindow's Norse Mythology and in Orchard's Cassell's Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend.

Poems included by various editors

Mythological Poems

In Codex Regius

Völuspá Wise-woman's prophecy, The Prophecy of the Seeress, The Seeress's Prophecy
Hávamál The Ballad of the High One, The Sayings of Hár, Sayings of the High One
Vafþrúðnismál The Ballad of Vafthrúdnir, The Lay of Vafthrúdnir, Vafthrúdnir's Sayings
Grímnismál The Ballad of Grímnir, The Lay of Grímnir, Grímnir's Sayings
Skírnismál The Ballad of Skírnir, The Lay of Skírnir, Skírnir's Journey
Hárbarðsljóð The Poem of Hárbard, The Lay of Hárbard, Hárbard's Song
Hymiskviða The Lay of Hymir, Hymir's Poem
Lokasenna Loki's Wrangling, The Flyting of Loki, Loki's Quarrel
Þrymskviða The Lay of Thrym, Thrym's Poem
Völundarkviða The Lay of Völund
Alvíssmál The Ballad of Alvís, The Lay of Alvís, All-Wise's Sayings

Not in Codex Regius

Baldrs draumar Baldr's Dreams
Rígsþula The Song of Ríg, The Lay of Ríg, The List of Ríg
Hyndluljóð The Poem of Hyndla, The Lay of Hyndla, The Song of Hyndla
Völuspá in skamma The short Völuspá, The Short Seeress' Prophecy, Short Prophecy of the Seeress - This poem is included as an interpolation in Hyndluljóð. Völuspá ( Prophecy of the Völva) is the first and best known poem of the Poetic Edda. Hávamál (" Sayings of the high one " is presented as a single poem in the Poetic Edda. In Norse mythology, Vafþrúðnismál ( Vafþrúðnir 's sayings) is the third poem in the Poetic Edda. Grímnismál ( Sayings of Grímnir) is one of the mythological poems of the Poetic Edda. Skírnismál ( Sayings of Skírnir) is one of the poems of the Poetic Edda. Hárbarðsljóð ( Lay of Hárbarðr) is one of the poems of the Poetic Edda, found in the Codex Regius and AM 748 I 4to Hymiskviða ( Hymir's poem; the name can be anglicized as Hymiskvitha, Hymiskvidha or Hymiskvida) is a poem collected in the Lokasenna ( Loki's flyting, Loki's wrangling, Loki's quarrel) is one of the mythological poems of the Poetic Edda. Þrymskviða (the name can be anglicized as Thrymskviða, Thrymskvitha, Thrymskvidha or Thrymskvida) is one of the Völundarkviða ( Völundr's poem, the name can be anglicized as Völundarkvitha, Völundarkvidha, Völundarkvida, Alvíssmál ("Talk of Alvíss" is poem collected in the Poetic Edda probably dating to the 11th century at the end of the Viking Age that relates Baldrs draumar ( Baldr 's dreams) or Vegtamskviða is an Eddic poem, contained in the manuscript AM 748 I 4to. Hyndluljóð or Lay of Hyndla is an Old Norse poem often considered a part of the Poetic Edda. Völuspá hin skamma, Völuspá the Less or the Short Völuspá, is an Old Norse poem which survives as a handful of stanzas in Hyndluljóð
Svipdagsmál The Ballad of Svipdag, The Lay of Svipdag - This title, originally suggested by Bugge, actually covers two separate poems:
Grógaldr Gróa's Spell, The Spell of Gróa
Fjölsvinnsmál Ballad of Fjölsvid, The Lay of Fjölsvid
Gróttasöngr The Mill's Song, The Song of Grotti (Not included in many editions. Svipdagsmál or The Lay of Svipdagr is an Old Norse poem a part of the Poetic Edda, comprised of two poems Grógaldr or The Spell of Gróa is the first of two poems now commonly published under the title Svipdagsmál found in several 17th Fjölsvinnsmál or The Sayings of Fjölsvinnr is the second of two Old Norse poems commonly published under the title Svipdagsmál )
Hrafnagaldur Óðins Odins's Raven Song, Odin's Raven Chant. Hrafnagaldr Óðins (" Odin 's raven- Galdr " or Forspjallsljóð ("prelude poem" is an Icelandic poem (A late work not included in most editions).

Heroic lays

In Codex Regius

After the mythological poems Codex Regius continues with heroic lays about mortal heroes. A lai was a song form composed in northern Europe, mainly France and Germany, from the 13th to the late 14th century.

The Helgi Lays
Helgakviða Hundingsbana I or Völsungakviða The First Lay of Helgi Hundingsbane, The First Lay of Helgi the Hunding-Slayer, The First Poem of Helgi Hundingsbani
Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar The Lay of Helgi the Son of Hjörvard, The Lay of Helgi Hjörvardsson, The Poem of Helgi Hjörvardsson
Helgakviða Hundingsbana II or Völsungakviða in forna The Second Lay of Helgi Hundingsbane, The Second Lay of Helgi the Hunding-Slayer, A Second Poem of Helgi Hundingsbani
Note: Helgi Hjörvarðsson and Helgi Hundingsbani are two different characters, though the connecting prose of the Poetic Edda states that the second is the first reborn. Völsungakviða, Helgakviða Hundingsbana I or the First Lay of Helgi Hundingsbane is an Old Norse poem found in the Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar ("Lay of Helgi Hjörvarðsson" is a poem collected in the Poetic Edda, found in the Codex Regius manuscript Völsungakviða in forna, Helgakviða Hundingsbana II or the Second Lay of Helgi Hundingsbane is an Old Norse poem
The Niflung Cycle
Frá dauða Sinfjötla Of Sinfjötli's Death, Sinfjötli's Death, The Death of Sinfjötli (A short prose text. Frá dauða Sinfjötla ( On the death of Sinfjötli) is a short prose piece found in the Codex Regius manuscript of the Poetic Edda. )
Grípisspá Grípir's Prophecy, The Prophecy of Grípir
Reginsmál The Ballad of Regin, The Lay of Regin
Fáfnismál The Ballad of Fáfnir, The Lay of Fáfnir
Sigrdrífumál The Ballad of The Victory-Bringer, The Lay of Sigrdrífa
Brot af Sigurðarkviðu Fragment of a Sigurd Lay, Fragment of a Poem about Sigurd
Guðrúnarkviða I The First Lay of Gudrún
Sigurðarkviða hin skamma The Short Lay of Sigurd, A Short Poem about Sigurd
Helreið Brynhildar Brynhild's Hell-Ride, Brynhild's Ride to Hel, Brynhild's Ride to Hell
Dráp Niflunga The Slaying of The Niflungs, The Fall of the Niflungs, The Death of the Niflungs
Guðrúnarkviða II The Second Lay of Gudrún or Guðrúnarkviða hin forna The Old Lay of Gudrún
Guðrúnarkviða III The Third Lay of Gudrún
Oddrúnargrátr The Lament of Oddrún, The Plaint of Oddrún, Oddrún's Lament
Atlakviða The Lay of Atli. Grípisspá ( Grípir's prophecy) or Sigurðarkviða Fáfnisbana I ("First Lay of Sigurd Fáfnir 's Slayer" is Reginsmál (" Reginn 's sayings" or Sigurðarkviða Fáfnisbana II ("Second Lay of Sigurd Fáfnir 's Slayer" Fáfnismál ( Fáfnir 's sayings) is an Eddic poem, found in the Codex Regius manuscript Sigrdrífumál or Brynhildarljóð is one of the heroic poems of the Poetic Edda. Brot af Sigurðarkviðu is the remaining 22 stanzas of a heroic Old Norse poem in the Poetic Edda. Guðrúnarkviða I or the First Lay of Guðrún is simply called Guðrúnarkviða in Codex Regius where it was found together with Sigurðarkviða hin skamma or the Short Lay of Sigurd is an Old Norse poem belonging to the heroic poetry of the Poetic Edda Helreið Brynhildar or Brynhild's Hel -Ride is a short Old Norse poem that is found in the Poetic Edda. The Dráp Niflunga is a short prose section in the Poetic Edda between Helreið Brynhildar and Guðrúnarkviða II Guðrúnarkviða II, The Second Lay of Gudrún, or Guðrúnarkviða hin forna, The Old Lay of Gudrún is probably the oldest Guðrúnarkviða III, The Third Lay of Gudrun, is a short Old Norse poem that is part of the Poetic Edda. Oddrúnargrátr ( Oddrún's Lament) or Oddrúnarkviða ( Oddrún's poem) is an Eddic poem, found in the Codex Atlakviða ( The Lay of Atli) is one of the heroic poems of the Poetic Edda. (The full manuscript title is Atlakviða hin grœnlenzka, that is, The Greenland Lay of Atli, but editors and translators generally omit the Greenland reference as a probable error from confusion with the following poem. Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat meaning "Land of the Greenlanders" Grønland is a self-governing Danish Province located between the )
Atlamál hin groenlenzku The Greenland Ballad of Atli, The Greenlandish Lay of Atli, The Greenlandic Poem of Atli
The Jörmunrekkr Lays
Guðrúnarhvöt Gudrún's Inciting, Gudrún's Lament, The Whetting of Gudrún. Atlamál in gr&oelignlenzku ( The Greenlandic Lay of Atli) is one of the heroic poems of the Poetic Edda. Guðrúnarhvöt is one of the heroic poems of the Poetic Edda.
Hamðismál The Ballad of Hamdir, The Lay of Hamdir

The heroic lays are to be seen as a whole in the Edda, but they consist of three layers, the story of Helgi Hundingsbani, the story of the Nibelungs and the story of Jörmunrekkr, king of the Goths. The Hamðismál is a poem which ends the heroic poetry of the Poetic Edda, and thereby the whole collection Helgi Hundingsbane is a hero in Norse sagas Helgi appears in Volsunga saga and in two lays in the Poetic Edda named Helgakviða The German Nibelungen and the corresponding Old Norse form Niflung ( Niflungr) is the name in Germanic and Norse mythology Ermanaric (died 376 was a king of the Gothic Greuthungi at the eve of the Migration Period. The Goths ( Gothic: Gothic usvg|14px|u]]Gothic asvg|14px|a]]Gothic s These are, respectively, Scandinavian, German and Gothic in origin. It is interesting to note, that as far as historicity can be ascertained, Attila, Jörmunrekkr and Brynhildr actually existed, taking Brynhildr to be partly based on Brunhilda of Austrasia, but the chronology has been reversed in the poems. Ermanaric (died 376 was a king of the Gothic Greuthungi at the eve of the Migration Period. Brynhildr is a Shieldmaiden and a Valkyrie in Norse mythology, where she appears as a main character in the Völsunga saga and some

Not in Codex Regius

Several of the legendary sagas contain poetry in the Eddic style. A Legendary saga or Fornaldarsaga (literally a tale of times past) is a Norse saga that unlike the Icelanders' sagas, takes place Its age and importance is often difficult to evaluate but Hervarar saga, in particular, contains interesting poetic interpolations. Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks is a Legendary saga from the 13th century combining matter from several older sagas

Hlöðskviða Lay of Hlöd, also known in English as The Battle of the Goths and the Huns. Hlöðskviða or The Battle of the Goths and Huns is sometimes counted among the Eddic Poems. Extracted from Hervarar saga. Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks is a Legendary saga from the 13th century combining matter from several older sagas
The Waking of Angantýr Extracted from Hervarar saga. Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks is a Legendary saga from the 13th century combining matter from several older sagas

Sólarljóð

Sólarljóð Poems of the sun. The Sólarljóð is an Old Norse poem that is sometimes included in editions of the Poetic Edda due to its imagery from Norse mythology

This poem, also not in Codex Regius, is sometimes included in editions of the Poetic Edda even though it is Christian and belongs, properly speaking, to the visionary literature of the Middle Ages. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings It is, however, written in ljóðaháttr and uses some heathen imagery.

Allusions and quotations

See also

References

Bibliography in reverse chronological order

External links

Dictionary

Poetic Edda

-proper noun

  1. A collection of Old Norse poems, songs, and some prose, containing stories about the Norse gods and legendary heroes.
© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic