The Poetic Edda

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Oxford University Press, 1999 - Fiction - 323 pages
The collection of Norse-Icelandic mythological and heroic poetry known as thePoetic Eddacontains the great narratives of the creation of the world and the coming of Ragnarok, the Doom of the Gods. The mythological poems explore the wisdom of the gods and giants, narrating the adventures of the god Thor against the hostile giants and the gods' rivalries amongst themselves. The heroic poems trace the exploits of the hero Helgi and his valkyrie bride, the tragic tale of Sigurd and Brynhild's doomed love, and the terrible drama of Sigurd's widow Gudrun and her children. Many of the poems predate the conversion of Scandinavia to Christianity, allowing us to glimpse the pagan beliefs of the North. Since the rediscovery of thePoetic Eddain the seventeenth century, its poetry has fascinated artists as diverse as Thomas Gray, Richard Wagner, and Jorge Luis Borges. This is the first complete translation to be published in Britain for fifty years, and it includes a scholarly introduction, notes, a genealogy of the gods and giants, and an index of names. With a new, modern package this title is an invaluable classic for your bookshelf.
 

Selected pages

Contents

THE SEERESSS PROPHECY
3
SAYINGS OF THE HIGH ONE
14
VAFTHRUDNIRS SAYINGS
39
GRIMNIRS SAYINGS
50
SKIRNIRS JOURNEY
61
HARBARDS SONG
69
HYMIRS POEM
78
LOKIS QUARREL
84
FRAGMENT OF A POEM ABOUT SIGURD
174
THE FIRST LAY OF GUDRUN
177
A SHORT POEM ABOUT SIGURD
182
BRYNHILDS RIDE TO HELL
192
THE DEATH OF THE NIFLUNGS
195
THE SECOND LAY OF GUDRUN
196
THE THIRD LAY OF GUDRUN
203
ODDRUNS LAMENT
205

THRYMS POEM
97
THE LAY OF VOLUND
102
ALLWISES SAYINGS
109
THE FIRST POEM OF HELGI HUNDINGSBANI
114
THE POEM OF HELGI HIORVARDSSON
123
A SECOND POEM OF HELGI HUNDINGSBANI
132
THE DEATH OF SINFIOTLI
142
GRIPIRS PROPHECY
143
THE LAY OF REGIN
151
THE LAY OF FAFNIR
157
THE LAY OF SIGRDRIFA
166
THE LAY OF ATLI
210
THE GREENLANDIC POEM OF ATLI
217
THE WHETTING OF GUDRUN
234
THE LAY OF HAMDIR
238
BALDRS DREAMS
243
THE LIST OF RIG
246
THE SONG OF HYNDLA
253
THE SONG OF GROTTI
260
Explanatory Notes
264
Annotated Index of Names
298
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About the author (1999)

Carolyne Larrington is Senior Research Fellow at Montfort University, Leicester.

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