Snorri is the most celebrated figure in icelandic literature, remembered for his dramatic renditions of history. Firstly, one must appreciate that this is snorri s edda the prose edda, and will appeal mostly to those who have an avid interest or appreciation of nordic mythology. Snorri was a christian, and the effects of a christian perspective. Translating the poetic edda into english pdf, old norse made new, viking society for northern research, pp. The first edition of the novel was published in 1220, and was written by snorri sturluson. The most famous medieval icelandic writer was snorri sturluson 11791241. Snorri, a descendant of the great poet and hero of the egils saga, egill skallagrimsson, was brought up at oddi from the age of three in the home of jon loptsson, the most influential. Snorri sturluson is the only medieval icelandic author about whom we have sufficient. Snorri s authorship of the poem is unequivocally confirmed both by attribution in the earliest manuscript u and by the attribution to him of.
The prose edda, also known as the younger edda, snorri s edda icelandic. The norse creation myth or cosmogony an account of the origins of the cosmos is perhaps one of the richest in all of world literature. Read the heimskringla and the prose edda of snorri sturluson by snorri sturluson available from rakuten kobo. The main characters of this poetry, fantasy story are. Pdf the poetic edda book by anonymous free download 343 pages. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 343 pages and is available in paperback format. In the deluding of gylfi, snorri sturluson presents six different creation stories without much logical connection. Deeper linguistic and metalinguistic levels of meaning may be fathomed by those who work closely with the old. This translation of the poetic eddas is highly readable. British public, the second, or heroic part shall be immediately sent to press. History of the norwegian kings, undoubtedly the best history written in the middle ages. A large part of what we know about nordic mythology stems from his edda. Some researchers believe snorri based it largely on folkloric oral traditions that he may have heard, while others think he used an elder written edda. Snorri sturluson also spelled snorre sturlason was an icelandic historian, poet and politician.
Snorris authorship of the poem is unequivocally confirmed both by attribution in the earliest manuscript u and by the attribution to him of. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 180 pages and is available in paperback format. The present volume contains all of the younger edda that can possibly be of any importance to english readers. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the icelandic parliament, the althing. Pdf the prose edda book by snorri sturluson free download.
The main characters of this classics, history story are. His was the genius which may have composed some of the great poems the poetic edda. Snorri sturluson, historian, poet and politician, was born at. In the words of elias wessen, the edda as a whole is a manual on the art of poetry. The gylfaginning deals with the creation and destruction of the world of the norse gods, and many other aspects of norse mythology. History of the norwegian kings, undoubtedly the best history written in the middle ages, a large book without a dull page, packed full of thrilling incidents and shrewd characterizations. In this work snorri arranges and recounts the legends of norse mythology in an entertaining way. English source for the brodeur translation sections prolgue to skaldskaparmal and abbreviations comes from. One day, loki the trickster found himself in an especially mischievous mood and cut off the gorgeous golden hair of sif, the wife of thor.
The work is often assumed to have been written, or at least compiled, by the icelandic scholar, lawspeaker, and historian snorri sturluson c. Prose eddagylfaginning wikisource, the free online library. The creation of thors hammer norse mythology for smart. Snorri sturluson, article by jonas kristjansson at snorrastofa. The prose edda by snorri sturluson, paperback barnes.
The younger edda also called snorres edda, or the prose edda, of which we now have the pleasure of. Snorri was a greedy and unscrupulous lawyer, a powermonger whose ambition led to the end of icelands independence and to its becoming a. Nov 12, 2012 seven norse myths we wouldnt have without snorri. The second part of the prose edda is called the skaldskaparmal and the third hattatal. Snorri sturluson edda prologue and gylfaginning edited by anthony faulkes second edition.
Pdf the poetic edda book by anonymous free download 343. Along with the older poetic edda, snorri sturlusons prose edda is one of the most important works of old norse literature. First, lets look at this exceptionally colorful story itself. The elder edda is poetry, while the younger edda is mainly prose. That one too is numbered among the esir whom some call the slanderer of the esir and originator of. Voluspa norse and germanic lore site with old norse.
Snorri sturlusons most popular book is the prose edda. The prose edda forms the basis of what the world knows as norse mythology, and contains legends of the creation of the cosmos and the bestknown stories of odin, thor, and the other gods. Also called snorres edda, or the prose edda by snorri sturluson. The viking society for northern research, isbn 9780903521857. The function of loki in snorri sturlusons edda stefanie. Old norse source for the prose edda comes from heimskringla.
The mythological poems of the elder edda hold the keys to the understanding and. Challenging eurocentric theories of migration, azerbaijan international, vol. The heimskringla and the prose edda of snorri sturluson. The work is also known, variously, as snorri s edda, snorri sturlusons edda, the younger edda, and the prose edda. Poetic edda is the modern attribution for an unnamed collection of old norse anonymous. He wrote a number of books, including one best known as the prose edda, which contains a great deal of scandinavian mythological material. This edict included the infamous proclamation that jews and saracens of both sexes in every.
The name is not found as the heading of this part of the text in any early manuscript r and w have large ornamental initials at 12, though. The work was written by the icelandic scholar and historian snorri sturluson around 1220. Mar 21, 2017 snorris edda was later nicknamed the younger edda because much of it derives from older sources. Deeper linguistic and metalinguistic levels of meaning may be fathomed by those who work closely with the old norse text. In this translation the creation story, as abstracted above, is found on pages 1730. The only prose account of the old faith of the vikings, the asatru. Snorri was a great poet as well as a great writer, and he. The creation of the cosmos norse mythology for smart people. Free download or read online the prose edda pdf epub book. Nordic eddas pdf poems of the ancient norse poetic edda for modern pagans who practice. What poems are included in an edition of the poetic edda depends on the editor.
He was twice elected lawspeaker at the icelandic parlia. Free download or read online the poetic edda pdf epub book. The heimskringla old norse, the circle of the world is the. Jan 10, 2019 gylfaginning, or the tricking of gylfi, is the first part of snorri sturlusons prose edda. He wrote a number of books, including one best known as the prose edda, which contains a great deal of. The prose edda is easily the single most important source for norse mythology. This is the source material, handed down for centuries, about the lives of odin, thor and loki. A big plus is the fact that the book contains both the original names of characters in old icelandic, and a translation in english. Of all published articles, the following were the most read within the past 12 months. The main component of this book is a facing page translation.
Snorra edda or, historically, simply as edda, is an old norse work of literature written in iceland during the early th century. The younger edda, also known as snorres edda, or the prose edda, is a collection of old norse poems preserved by snorri sturluson 11791241. Anthony faulkes, editor and translator of snorrisedda, writes. The prose edda brodeur translation snorri sturleson 1178 1241, translated by arthur gilchrist brodeur 1888 1971 also known as the younger edda or snorri s edda, the prose edda is a threepart work composed or at least compiled by thirteenthcentury icelandic scholar snorri sturluson. The prose edda by snorri sturluson was written in the 12th century and was a handbook to writing old norse poetry. Reflections on the creation of snorri sturlusons prose edda.
His work surveys the content, style and metres of traditional viking poetry and includes a lengthy poem of snorries own, honoring the king of norway. Snorri sturluson edda viking society web publications. It is essentially a collection of four sections interspersed with excerpts from earlier skaldic and eddic poetry containing tales from norse mythology. Written in iceland a century after the close of the viking age, the prose edda is the source of most of what we know of norse mythology. The prose edda, also known as the younger edda, snorris edda icelandic. In fact, it gives more than has ever before been presented in any translation into english, german or any of the modern scandinavian tongues. Snorris most famous work is the prose edda, also known as snorra edda after its author. The translation was rendered as clearly and as accurately as possible. Snorri sturluson, icelandic poet, historian, and chieftain, author of the prose edda and the heimskringla. Snorri sturlusons edda viking society web publications. He was elected twice as lawspeaker to the icelandic parliament.
What those sources were is a matter of speculation. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Intended to be a handbook in skaldic poetry, it preserves invaluable mythological tales that were on the verge of being forgotten even in sturlusons time. Seven manuscripts, dating from around 0 to around 1600, have independent. This is an excellent translation of snorri sturlusons prose edda.
These names were introduced to distinguish it from a collection of mythological and heroic poetry which early modern scholars, for no solid reason, dubbed saemunds edda, after a mistaken attribution. Snorri sturluson has 185 books on goodreads with 29898 ratings. A similar combination of scholarly and imaginative talent is seen in the prose edda c. Snorri sturluson, the prose edda, translated from the icelandic by arthur gilchrist brodeur new york. The prose edda of snorri, spoken from norse mythology campus. 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. I see no one here, said utgardloki, looking at the men sitting on the benches, who would not think it beneath him to wrestle with thee. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The english translation chosen for the prose edda is by arthur gilchrist brodeur, from a 1916 publication that is now in public domain. Snorri sturluson 11791241 icelandic poet, prose writer, and historian. In the prose edda, the overwhelming characteristic of ginnungagap are its fields of flowers.
1151 1259 250 1531 1444 1114 452 1435 115 1560 736 830 697 1531 1055 40 770 240 1246 86 1462 68 1261 828 1283 799 1062 1040 1220 768 1047 902