The Vikings and the Victorians: Inventing the Old North in 19th-Century Britain

by Andrew Wawn

The first book-length treatment of C19 fascination with Norse heroes.

This is the first book-length treatment of the Victorians' fascination with the old north. It explores the ways in which the terms 'Viking' and 'Viking Age', both unknown in 1800, were invented, explored and popularised during thenineteenth century. The material examined - published and unpublished - includes novels, poems, plays, lectures, reviews, secondary school textbooks, saga-stead travelogues, private correspondence, art and music, as well as dictionaries, grammars and scholarly editions of eddas and sagas. In the cast of characters Sir Walter Scott, William Morris, Edward Elgar and Rudyard Kipling appear alongside long-forgotten amateur enthusiasts from Lerwick to the Isleof Wight. We follow the pursuit of Viking-related archaeology, dialectology, folklore, philology, runology and mythology. We see the old north used to legitimise many concepts and causes - from buccaneering mercantilism and imperial expansion to jury trial and women's rights. In drawing this wide range of materials together, Andrew Wawn presents a comprehensive and colourful account of the construction and translation of the Viking Age in Queen Victoria'sBritain.
ANDREW WAWN is Professor of Anglo-Icelandic Studies at the University of Leeds.

Genres: History, Medievalism

434 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2000

Reviews

[Lynne Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an academic literature review that is surprisingly witty and enjoyable to read. While I knew that Norse mythology had its place in Britain's cultural history, I was unaware of how deeply involved were cultured Victorians into all things Norse, on both sides of the Atlantic, no less. Writers you have heard of, like Sir Walter Scott and Rudyard Kipling, and many others popular back in the day but unheard of now, were inspired by Scandinavian tales, and serious scholarship and new translations of Northern literature were being produced and read.

Although Norse mythology has never replaced, or surpassed, the Greeks and Romans, it was not for lack of trying during the Victorian era. Although this is an overlooked area of cultural studies, we have the Victorians to thank for our continued interest in the Vikings. I doubt we would have had our Marvel movies without their indefatigable work.

[Abi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really excellent, ground-breaking work. Andrew Wawn has built an extremely solid, comprehensive and well-researched platform in this field which was previously somewhat ignored. The Vikings and the Victorians is indispensable for anyone interested in the 19th century's relationship with the Old North.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrew Wawn’s discussion of the relationship between the Vikings and Victorians covers how the Victorians considered the Vikings in history, relevance to their own society, and adaptation in culture.

[Peter Panico · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very hard to rate this book as I did enjoy it but it is basically a reference book. Not really a leisure read, seems to me only doctoral candidates studying Victorian era literature would need this book. A well-written and researched book, but definitely not for the faint of heart