The poetic and the prose edda as sources to old norse paganism duration. The poems of the poetic edda have waited a long time for a modern english translation that would do them justice. Nordic eddas pdf poems of the ancient norse poetic edda for modern pagans who practice. The eddic manuscript of the codex regius to be fairly honest, ive only really myself read it in icelandic and english but in general, as far as translations and editions of the edda are concerned, i myself have a very simple set of criteria. What is the best modern english translation of the prose and poetic eddas. She also taught at the university of munich and in the faculty of modern and medieval languages at cambridge university.
What is the best modern english translation of the prose. Jackson crawfords recent version of the poetic edda keeps much of the original meaning of the words, but uses very simple accessible language. A close translation accompanies the text to give the nonspecialist reader a strong sense of the original. Pdf translating the poetic edda carolyne larrington. At once he is welcomed and fed above all he is talked. For the prose edda, these two english translations are equally acceptable.
It is a collection of mythological and heroic poems of unknown authorship, composed over a long read more. Part i, prologue and gylfaginning, was published by the clarendon press, oxford, in 1982, and reissued in paperback by the viking society for northern research in 1988. In the same year again, the first volume of ursula dronkes edition of the poetic edda was published dronke 1969. Soundwaves and the big bang in the poetic edda hidden. Several versions exist, all primarily of text from the icelandic medieval manuscript known as the codex regius, which contains 31 poems. 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. She also taught at the university of munich and in the faculty of modern and medieval languages at cambridge university biography. Volume iii mythological poems ii dronke poetic edda dronke, ursula. Heroic poems edda smundar english selections snippet view 1969.
Odin and his brothers, vili and ve slay the giant ymir and use his blood and bones to fashion the world and its inhabitants. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Dronke is a feminist scholar, but at least shes excellent at it. The mythological poems of the elder edda hold the keys to the understanding and. A book of viking lore the lay of grimnir 2011 ursula dronke in the poetic edda, vol.
What is the best norwegian translation of the poetic edda. They are played out between the twilight of porrs old religion and. There are satisfactory translations in norwegian and swedish probably more so than in english. The lafargetucker glossary to the poetic edda translates the term as intolerable expectation or suspense. The poetic edda index internet sacred text archive. One of the aspects of her work i like is the full accounting for her decisions on editing and translating. This volume presents four of the most intricate and fascinating mythological poems of the poetic edda, with parallel translations and individual. Publication date 1923 publisher new york the americanscandinavian foundation collection robarts. 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.
The poetic edda is the modren attribution for an unnamed collection o auld norse poems. The third volume of the poetic edda went to press in ursulas 90th year. This has puzzled scholars who interpret the asmegir as the. The poetic edda is not only of great interest to the student of antiquity. Edited with translation, introduction and commentary. Anthony faulkes edda is similarly well noted and well written.
Born in sunderland and raised in newcastle upon tyne, where her. Keeps a poetic flare and has extensive notes at the bottom. The poetic edda second edition, revised translated by lee m. Mar 25, 2012 ursula dronke, who has died aged 91, was an inspirational scholar and teacher of old norse literature, and a specialist in the sagas and poetry of medieval iceland. Translations are very scarce and typically come from only a couple sources. The poetic and prose eddas are ancient norse texts containing information about the origins of the universe according to norse mythology.
The poetic edda, edited with translation, introduction. What are the best translations of the prose edda by. This new edition of mythological poems from the poetic edda takes the reader deep into the imagination of the viking poets c. It is generally believed that none of the poems were actually composed in their. Saga book volume xvii 17 part 4 by dronke, ursula et al editors and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. What is the difference between the prose edda and the poetic. I consider myself an amateur history buff, but only on a few select topics. Ursula dronke was a brilliant, vital, and impressive representative of a world that seems to be fast disappearing from our grasp. Part iii, hattatal, was published by the clarendon press in. My woolcloaks singed, though i lift it aloft, my capes burning in front of my eyes. Dronkes edition of the poetic edda with translation and commentary three volumes published of a.
One of the poems in the present volume, grottasongr the song of grotti. Together with the poetic edda, it comprises the major store of scandinavian mythology. The poems of the poetic edda form the most complete and authentic body of surviving prechristian germanic religious and magical lore. The poetic edda comprises a treasure trove of mythic and spiritual verse holding an important place in nordic culture, literature, and heritage. This prelate, who was a zealous collector of ancient manuscripts, found in the year 1643, the pg ix. 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. Prose edda is called the tricking of gylfi or, in old norse, gylfaginning. I realized recently that my knowledge of norse culture and mythology is severely lacking compared to greek, roman, hindu, etc, some of the other majors ive spent a lot of time and effort digesting. 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. 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. 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. Actually, you can check out the myth right here at shmoop, but well give you a quick summary anyway.
This is a notable contribution to eddie scholarship. The variety and quality of the poems reveal the genius of the poets of the viking age. The poetic edda second edition, revised translated by lee. The codex regius is arguably the most important extant source on norse mythology and. The poetic edda volume iii mythological poems ii edited by ursula dronke. While several versions exist, aw consist primarily o text frae the icelandic mediaeval manuscript kent as. Jan 01, 20 this is the third published volume of ursula dronkes longrunning edition of the old norseicelandic mythological and heroic poems in the codex regius of the poetic edda, most of them unique to this late thirteenthcentury manuscript, gks 2365 4to, now in reykjavik, but formerly in the royal library, copenhagen. Jan 18, 2005 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. The codex regius is arguably the most important extant source on norse mythology and germanic heroic. The poetic edda is a later manuscript dating from the second half of the th century, but containing older materials hence its alternative title, the elder edda. What are the best translations of the prose edda by snorri. Edited with translation, introduction, and commentary by ursula dronke.
Poets who have acknowledged their debt to the poetic edda include vilhelm ekelund, august. The story that some of the dwarfs left the rocks and mountains to find a new home on the sands is mentioned, but unexplained, in snorris edda. 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. The poems of the poetic edda were probably compiled by saemundr sigfusson in the 12th century in iceland. Setting text and translation side by side, dronke provides full introductions and commentaries for each of the poems. This volume presents four of the most intricate and fascinating mythological poems of the poetic edda, distinct in theme and style.
While several versions exist, aw consist primarily o text frae the icelandic mediaeval manuscript kent as the codex regius. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The english translation chosen for the poetic edda is by henry adams bellows, from a 1936 publication that is now in public domain. Books of the poetic edda the following 19 pages are in this category, out of 19 total. The poetic edda, edited with translation, introduction, and. Publication date 1923 publisher new york the americanscandinavian foundation. Henryadamsbellows typesetbybogdanopanchuk, compiledonjuly30,2011 melbourne,australia.
Heroic poems dronke poetic edda series volume 1 of poetic edda vol. B taylor the elder edda as the song of the sybil 1969 patricia terry in poems of the elder edda as voluspa revised 1989 1996 carolyne larrington in the poetic edda as the seeresss prophecy 1997 ursula dronke in the poetic edda. Along with snorri sturlusons prose edda, the poetic edda is the most important extant source on norse mythology and germanic heroic legends. They are played out between the twilight of porrs old religion and the daybreak of the new. What is the best modern english translation of the prose and. Ursula dronke, who has died aged 91, was an inspirational scholar and teacher of old. 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. Media in category poetic edda the following 8 files are in this category, out of 8 total. Bellows translation has been corrected where there have been clear issues with the numbering of stanzas and where the author has clearly strayed from the old norse original text. 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. This volume of ursala dronke s 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. Elder edda vsp, vkv, ls, skm, rg ursula dronke, vol. Jun 14, 2010 the poetic and the prose edda as sources to old norse paganism duration.
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