The Poetic Edda

Lee M. Hollander

• Publisher: University of Texas Press
• Year: 2010
• Print ISBN:
  9780292764996
  9780292764330
• eBook ISBN:
  9780292792548
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Ancient & Classical Literary Collections
• Index: Literature

The Poetic Edda comprises a treasure trove of mythic and spiritual verse holding an important place in Nordic culture, literature, and heritage. 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.

Collected by an unidentified Icelander, probably during the twelfth or thirteenth century, The Poetic Edda was rediscovered in Iceland in the seventeenth century by Danish scholars. Even then its value as poetry, as a source of historical information, and as a collection of entertaining stories was recognized. This meticulous translation succeeds in reproducing the verse patterns, the rhythm, the mood, and the dignity of the original in a revision that Scandinavian Studies says "may well grace anyone's bookshelf."

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• General Introduction
• The Prophecy of the Seeress: Voluspá
• The Sayings of Hár: Hávamál
• The Lay of Vafthrúthnir: Vafþrúðnismál
• The Lay of Grímnir: Grímnismál
• The Lay of Skírnir: Skírnismál
• The Lay of Hárbarth: Hárbarzljóð
• The Lay of Hymir: Hymiskviða
• The Flyting of Loki: Lokasenna
• The Lay of Thrym: prymskviða
• The Lay of Alvís: Alvíssmál
• Baldr’s Dreams: Baldrs draumar
• The Lay of Rig: Rígsþula
• The Lay of Hyndla: Hyndluljóð
• The Short Seeress’ Prophecy: Voluspá hin skamma
• The Lay of Svipdag: Svipdagsmál
• The Lay of Grotti: Grottasongr
• The Lay of Volund: Volundarkviða
• The Helgi Lays
• Sinfjotli’s Death: Frá dauða Sinfjotla
• The Prophecy of Grípir: Grípisspá
• The Lay of Regin: Reginsmál
• The Lay of Fáfnir: Fáfnismál
• The Lay of Sigrdrífa: Sigrdrífumál
• The Great Lacuna
• Fragment of a Sigurth Lay: Brot af Sigurþarkviðu
• The First Lay of Guthrún: Guðrúnarkviða I
• The Short Lay of Sigurth: Sigurþarkviða hin skamma
• Brynhild’s Ride to Hel: Helreið Brynhildar
• The Fall of the Niflungs: Dráp Niflunga
• The Second (or Old) Lay of Guthrún: Guðrúnarkviða II (hin forna)
• The Third Lay of Guthrún: Guðrúnarkviða III
• The Plaint of Oddrún: Oddrúnargrátr
• The Lay of Atli: Atlakviða
• The Greenlandish Lay of Atli: Atlamál hin grœnlenzku
• Guthrún’s Lament: Guðrúnarhvot
• The Lay of Hamthir: Hamðismál (hin fornu)
• The Catalogue of Dwarfs: (Dvergatal)
• Guide to Pronunciation
• Glossary
• Selected Bibliography
• Index and List of Names
• Footnotes