The Poetic Edda: Essays on Old Norse Mythology

by Paul L. Acker (Editor), Carolyne Larrington (Editor)

This unique collection of essays applies significant critical approaches to the mythological poetry of the Poetic Edda, a principal source for Old Norse cosmography and the legends of Odin, Loki, and Thor. The volume also provides very useful introductions that sketch the critical history of the Eddas. By applying new theoretical approaches (feminist, structuralist, post-structuralist) to each of the major poems, this book yields a variety of powerful and convincing readings. Contributors to the collection are both young scholars and senior figures in the discipline, and are of varying nationalities (American, British, Australian, Scandinavian, and Icelandic), thus ensuring a range of interpretations from different corners of the scholarly community. The new translations included here make available for the first time to English speaking students the intriguing methodologies that are currently developing in Scandinavia. An essential collection of scholarship for any Old Norse course, The Poetic Edda will also be of interest to scholars of Indo-European myth, as well as those who study the theory of myth.

Genres: Mythology, Nonfiction, Poetry, History, Essays, Classics

308 pages, Hardcover

First published October 31, 2001

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting set of essays - particular to useful students of literature students of Norse mythology

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

They are just that, poems. They offer a little insight to the Gods origin stories, Loki's were a personal favorite.

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting for the context of Viking mythology but also read like the boring part of Genesis in the Old Testament.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent introduction to the historic work. Folks sure were comfortable killing each other back then.