Among the prose old norse sources, the prose edda, or simply the edda, contains the greatest quantity of information concerning our topic. Hollander translation, university of texas press, softcover, 343 pages. Setting text and translation side by side, dronke provides full introductions and commentaries for each of the poems. This volume of ursala dronkes presentation of the older poetic edda isnt just another translation of the voluspa, rigsthula, volundarkvida, lokasenna and skirnismal eddas, but is a badly needed critical edition that brings together all the source material, provides a translation in modern english, and offers commentary that discusses the meaning of difficult terms, provides historical. Price new from used from hardcover, 1969 please retry. The poetic edda ursula dronke oxford university press. The poetic eddas translating poems from the viking or norse times can prove to be a challenge. The poetic edda begins with the seeresss prophecy which recounts the creation of the world, and looks forward to its destruction and rebirth.
What are the best translations of the prose edda by. Buy the poetic edda oxford worlds classics reissue by larrington, carolyne isbn. It takes the form of a working edition of the mythological poems of the ancient norse poetic edda for modern pagans who practice the magic and religion of the north. 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. These amazing texts from a thcentury icelandic manuscript are of huge historical, mythological and literary importance, containing the lions share of information that survives today about the gods and heroes of pre. Voluspa, vafthrudnismol, grimnismol, skirnismol, harbardsljod, hymiskvitha, thrymskvitha, and lokasenna. Translations are very scarce and typically come from only a couple sources. Sep 11, 2014 the poetic edda begins with the seeresss prophecy which recounts the creation of the world, and looks forward to its destruction and rebirth. It is the oldest such collection, the bestknown of all icelandic books, and an icelandic national treasure. The words of odin the high one in the elder or poetic edda, part i. The poetic edda is an epochmaking cache of mythological and heroic tales that have compelled wagner, tolkien, borges and auden, among many others. This is the outstanding critical edition of atlakvitha, atlamal in groenleznko, guthrunarhvot and hamthismal, the final four heroic poems in the icelandic codex regius, more generally known as the poetic edda. This volume presents four of the most intricate and fascinating mythological poems of the poetic edda, distinct in theme and style. Its tales of strife and death form a repository, in poetic form, of norse mythology and heroic lore, embodying both the ethical views and the cultural life of the north during the late heathen and early christian times.
The poetic edda contains 35 poems, some of which are very complicated. Buy the poetic edda volume ii by ursula dronke with free. The poems of the poetic edda have waited a long time for a modern english translation that would do them justice. It is the fullest and most detailed source for modern knowledge of germanic mythology. Jun 20, 2017 along with snorri sturlusons prose edda, the poetic edda is the most important extant source on norse mythology and germanic heroic legends. Jan 11, 2009 the poetic edda is the more commonly used title in conjunction with the prose edda by snorriso perhaps the penguin title is slightly misleading for the unwary. Mythological poems both clarendon press, and the role of sexual themes in njals. Dronke author see all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. The dorothea coke memorial lecture in northern studies viking. What are the best translations of the prose edda by snorri. The poetic edda oxford worlds classics carolyne larrington isbn. One of the two works referred to as eddas, the poetic edda is actually not a single, fixed work, but a collective term for poetry on stories and themes from norse mythology as found in old icelandic manuscripts. The poetic edda by unknown meet your next favorite book.
The poetic edda is not a book you read from beginning to end like a novel. The poetic edda was almost entirely wrong chapter 1. It is generally believed that none of the poems were actually composed in their. Ursula dronke author of the poetic edda volume ii mythological. This volume presents four of the most intricate and fascinating mythological poems of the poetic edda, with parallel translations and individual. This treatise on norse poetics was written in the thirteenth century by the icelandic scholar and politician. The bulk of these poems, however, is contained in a single manuscript, the codex regius, a work first compiled c. Keeps a poetic flare and has extensive notes at the bottom. Together with the poetic edda, it comprises the major store of scandinavian mythology. Several versions exist, all primarily of text from the icelandic medieval manuscript known as the codex regius, which contains 31 poems. In this great collection of norseicelandic mythological and heroic poetry, the exploits of gods and humans are related. Twentyfour hours after that, he told his parents his idea. The younger edda may in one sense be regarded as the sequel or commentary of the elder edda. Havamal, notable for its unforgettable flashes of beauty and despair, explores the nature of human knowledge.
The footnotes are immense, the manuscript doting impressive, and the sheer level of detail presented here easily puts all of the other editions to printed to date to shame. Setting text and translation side by side, dronke provides full introductions and commentaries for. A new edition of the famous collection of norseicelandic mythological and heroic poetry known as the poetic edda, with fully revised translations and updated introduction and notes includes three new poems and revised translations drawing on the latest scholarship. The elder or poetic edda is the modern name for a set of old norse mythological and heroic poems, found in a limited number of icelandic manuscripts, the most important of which is damaged, and missing pages, and does not agree with other copies, and quotations in. The poetic edda comprises a treasure trove of mythic and spiritual verse holding an important place in nordic culture, literature, and heritage. Jackson crawfords recent version of the poetic edda keeps much of the original meaning of the words, but uses very simple accessible language. I would recommend reading the byock translation of the prose edda first, then the byock translation of the volsunga saga, then the poetic edda. A close translation accompanies the text to give the nonspecialist reader a strong sense of the original. This volume presents four of the most intricate and fascinating mythological poems of the poetic edda, with parallel translations and individual introductions and commentaries. The variety and quality of the poems reveal the genius of the poets of the viking age. Anthony faulkes edda is similarly well noted and well written. Translated from the icelandic with an introduction and notes classic reprint bellows, henry adams published by forgotten books 20190330 2019.
Edda, body of ancient icelandic literature contained in two thcentury books commonly distinguished as the prose, or younger, edda and the poetic, or elder, edda. I usually read and study one or a few poems at a time, put the book aside, and then get back to it later. The codex regius poems are notoriously difficult to translate, with numerous words not found elsewhere in the corpus. This prelate, who was a zealous collector of ancient manuscripts, found in the year 1643, the pg ix. Heroic poems dronke poetic edda series volume 1 of poetic edda vol. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the poetic edda. The prose edda was written by the icelandic chieftain, poet, and historian snorri sturluson, probably in 122223. The poetic edda carolyne larrington oxford university. May 22, 2011 translations are very scarce and typically come from only a couple sources. Skaldic poetry was contemporary with eddaic poetry but differed from it in metre, diction, and style. Fortyeight hours later, he had five more books on his previouslyunused desk. What is the difference between the prose edda and the poetic. Snorra edda or, historically, simply as edda, is an old norse work of literature written in iceland during the early th century.
The poetic edda is likely the single most important of all of our sources. None of the poems can be dated with any certainty, but it is clear that many of the heroic poems go back to the lore of the 6th and 7th centuries. The project gutenberg ebook of the elder eddas of saemund. They are played out between the twilight of porrs old religion and the daybreak of the new. The younger edda contains the systematized theogony and cosmogony of our forefathers, while the elder edda presents the odinic faith in a 28 series of lays or rhapsodies. The poems of the poetic edda form the most complete and authentic body of surviving prechristian germanic religious and magical lore. Codex regius was written in the th century but nothing is known of its whereabouts until 1643 when it came into the possession of brynjolfur sveinsson, then bishop of skalholt. Get free shipping on the poetic edda volume ii by ursula dronke, from. The elder edda is poetry, while the younger edda is mainly prose. It is one of the few extent sources that provide a periscope into the viking age consciousness. Ursula dronke is emeritus vigfusson reader in ancient icelandic literature and antiquities, university of oxford and and emeritus fellow, linacre college, oxford. Certain norse words can have multiple meanings in the given language being translated to, this of course could change the meaning of the entire poem. At once he is welcomed and fed above all he is talked.
The prose edda and poetic edda have some stories in common but generally its better to read the prose first. The prologue is the first section of four books of the edda, consisting of an euhemerized christian account of the origins of nordic mythology. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The poetic edda by carolyne larrington, paperback barnes. The poetic edda volume iii mythological poems ii edited by ursula dronke.
Publication date 1923 publisher new york the american. The prose edda, also known as the younger edda, snorris edda icelandic. The prose edda, also known as the younger edda, snorris edda or simply edda, is an old norse work of literature written in iceland in the early th century. Feb 15, 2018 an introduction to the poetic or elder edda, the most important surviving source of norse mythology, and the difference between it and snorri sturlusons prose or younger edda. The poetic edda six old norse cosmology poems by maria. There are satisfactory translations in norwegian and swedish probably more so than in english. Lauren harden masgamers show fabian widjak podcast performance on demand podcast all things haunted prometheus podcast plan on. Both translations are good and well annotated but you probably dont need to own both. Six edda poems presented in their original old norse text alongside a new translation and interpretation as well as interpretations of mythical names and place names by maria kvilhaug, author of the seed of yggdrasill deciphering the hidden messages in old norse myths. Hymiskvita is the boisterous tale of the giant hymir.
The work is often assumed to have been written, or at least compiled, by the icelandic scholar, lawspeaker, and historian snorri sturluson c. Of all of the english translations of the poetic edda, dronkes translations are the most thorough and extensive. The poetic edda was almost entirely wrong phoenixvictoria. Since the rediscovery of the poetic edda in the seventeenth century, its poetry has fascinated artists as diverse as thomas gray, richard wagner, and jorge luis borges. Along with snorri sturlusons prose edda, the poetic edda is the most important extant source on norse mythology and germanic heroic legends. An introduction to the poetic or elder edda, the most important surviving source of norse mythology, and the difference between it and snorri sturlusons prose or younger edda. The poetic edda by jackson crawford, 9781624663567, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Mythological poems both clarendon press, and the role of sexual themes in njals saga. Poetic edda is the modern attribution for an unnamed collection of old norse anonymous poems, which is different from the edda written by snorri sturluson. The poems of the poetic edda were probably compiled by saemundr sigfusson in the 12th century in iceland. This new edition of mythological poems from the poetic edda takes the reader deep into the imagination of the viking poets c. For the prose edda, these two english translations are equally acceptable. Its tales of strife and death form a repository, in poetic form, of norse mythology and heroic lore, embodying both the ethical views and the. The codex regius is arguably the most important extant source on norse mythology and germanic heroic.