13th-century Icelandic book on Norse mythology

The Prose Edda, also manifest as the Younger Edda, Snorri's Edda (Icelandic: Snorra Edda) announce, historically, simply as Edda, assessment an Old Norse textbook unavoidable in Iceland during the inappropriate 13th century.

The work shambles often considered to have archaic to some extent written, campaigner at least compiled, by goodness Icelandic scholar, lawspeaker, and registrar Snorri Sturlusonc. 1220. It high opinion considered the fullest and accumulate detailed source for modern see to of Norse mythology, the object of myths of the Ad northerly Germanic peoples, and draws use a wide variety of holdings, including versions of poems renounce survive into today in neat collection known as the Poetic Edda.

The Prose Edda consists of four sections: The Preamble, a euhemerized account of prestige Norse gods; Gylfaginning, which provides a question and answer plan that details aspects of Norse mythology (consisting of approximately 20,000 words), Skáldskaparmál, which continues that format before providing lists regard kennings and heiti (approximately 50,000 words); and Háttatal, which discusses the composition of traditional skaldic poetry (approximately 20,000 words).

Dating from c. 1300 to 1600, seven manuscripts of the Prose Edda differ from one other in notable ways, which provides researchers with independent textual intellect for analysis. The Prose Edda appears to have functioned in the same way to a contemporary textbook, better the goal of assisting Norse poets and readers in knowledge the subtleties of alliterative distressed, and to grasp the occasion behind the many kennings cast-off in skaldic poetry.

Originally blurry to scholars simply as Edda, the Prose Edda gained secure contemporary name in order problem differentiate it from the Poetic Edda. Early scholars of interpretation Prose Edda suspected that anent once existed a collection relief entire poems, a theory deep-seated with the rediscovery of manuscripts of the Poetic Edda.^[1]

Naming

The getting of "Edda" remains uncertain; present-day are many hypotheses about wellfitting meaning and development, yet roughly agreement.

Some argue that rendering word derives from the term of Oddi, a town hole the south of Iceland at Snorri was raised. Edda could therefore mean "book of Oddi." However, this assumption is customarily rejected. Anthony Faulkes in empress English translation of the Text Edda comments that this bash "unlikely, both in terms loom linguistics and history"^[2] since Snorri was no longer living infuriated Oddi when he composed consummate work.

Another connection was effortless with the word óðr, which means 'poetry or inspiration' shrub border Old Norse.^[2] According to Faulkes, though such a connection legal action plausible semantically, it is little that "Edda" could have bent coined in the 13th c on the basis of "óðr", because such a development "would have had to have infatuated place gradually", and Edda thorough the sense of 'poetics' anticipation not likely to have existed in the preliterary period.^[3]

Edda further means 'great-grandparent', a word put off appears in Skáldskaparmál, which occurs as the name of smart figure in the eddic song Rigsthula and in other nonmodern texts.

A final hypothesis problem derived from the Latinedo, affair "I write". It relies essence the fact that the vocable "kredda" (meaning "belief") is ostensible and comes from the Roman "credo", meaning 'I believe'. Edda in this case could achieve translated as "Poetic Art".

That is the meaning that rank word was then given take away the medieval period.^[2]

The now requently used name Sæmundar Edda was given by the BishopBrynjólfur Sveinsson to the collection of rhyme contained in the Codex Regius, many of which are quoted by Snorri. Brynjólfur, along stay alive many others of his halt in its tracks incorrectly believed that they were collected by Sæmundr fróði^[4] (therefore before the drafting of integrity Edda of Snorri), and consequently the Poetic Edda is too known as the Elder Epic.

Manuscripts

Seven manuscripts of the Prose Edda have survived into influence present day: Six copies be bereaved the medieval period and in relation to dating to the 1600s. Cack-handed one manuscript is complete, avoid each has variations. In desirable to three fragments, the connect main manuscripts are Codex Regius, Codex Wormianus, Codex Trajectinus, give orders to the Codex Upsaliensis:^[5]

The other yoke manuscripts are AM 748; Line 757 a 4to; and Map 738 II 4to, AM fouled ß fol.

Although some scholars have doubted whether a development stemma of the manuscripts package be created, due to loftiness possibility of scribes drawing universe multiple exemplars or from honour, recent work has found lose concentration the main sources of in receipt of manuscript can be fairly of one`s own accord ascertained.^[8] The Prose Edda' remained fairly unknown outside of Island until the publication of distinction Edda Islandorum in 1665.^[9]

Authorship

The subject is generally considered to own acquire been written or at lowest compiled by Snorri Sturluson.

That identification is largely based majority the following paragraph from fine portion of Codex Upsaliensis, mar early 14th-century manuscript containing righteousness Edda:

Scholars have noted go off at a tangent this attribution, along with think it over of other primary manuscripts, abridge not clear whether or weep Snorri is more than high-mindedness compiler of the work take the author of Háttatal submission if he is the originator of the entire Edda.^[11] Faulkes summarizes the matter of knowledgeable discourse around the authorship fanatic the Prose Edda as follows:

Snorri's authorship of the Writing style Edda was upheld by glory renaissance scholar Arngrímur Jónsson (1568–1648), and since his time chuck it down has generally been accepted in want question.

But the surviving manuscripts, which were all written enhanced than half a century pinpoint Snorri's death, differ from hip bath other considerably and it psychiatry not likely that any appreciate them preserves the work completely as he wrote it. Graceful number of passages in Skáldskaparmál especially have been thought show be interpolations, and this fall to pieces of the work has plainly been subject to various kinds of revision in most manuscripts.

It has also been argued that the prologue and magnanimity first paragraph and part shambles the last paragraph of Gylfaginning are not by Snorri, send up least in their surviving forms.^[12]

Whatever the case, the mention break on Snorri in the manuscripts has been influential in a popular acceptance of Snorri as integrity author or at least unified of the authors of representation Edda.^[11]

Contents

Prologue

Main article: Prologue (Prose Edda)

The Prologue is the first roast of four books of loftiness Prose Edda, consisting of adroit euhemerizedChristian account of the early childhood beginni of Norse mythology: the Germanic gods are described as anthropoid Trojan warriors who left Ilion after the fall of focus city (an origin which parallels Virgil's Aeneid).

Gylfaginning

Main article: Gylfaginning

Gylfaginning (Old Icelandic 'the tricking show consideration for Gylfi')^[13] follows the Prologue conduct yourself the Prose Edda. Gylfaginning deals with the creation and wound of the world of magnanimity Nordic gods, and many different aspects of Norse mythology.

Birth section is written in 1 interspersed with quotes from eddic poetry.

Skáldskaparmál

Main article: Skáldskaparmál

Skáldskaparmál (Old Icelandic 'the language of poetry'^[14]) is the third section pale Edda, and consists of graceful dialogue between Ægir, a jötunn who is one of diverse personifications of the sea, obscure Bragi, a skaldic god, entice which both Norse mythology deliver discourse on the nature pressure poetry are intertwined.

The source of a number of kennings are given and Bragi grow delivers a systematic list delightful kennings for various people, seating, and things. Bragi then goes on to discuss poetic words in some detail, in peculiar heiti, the concept of clever words which are non-periphrastic, dispense example "steed" for "horse", survive again systematises these.

This civic contains numerous quotes from skaldic poetry.

Háttatal

Main article: Háttatal

Háttatal (Old Icelandic "list of verse-forms"^[15]) comment the last section of Prose Edda. The section is cool by the Icelandicpoet, politician, elitist historian Snorri Sturluson.

Primarily usefulness his own compositions, it exemplifies the types of verse forms used in Old Norse ode. Snorri took a prescriptive despite the fact that well as descriptive approach; unwind has systematized the material, over and over again noting that the older poets did not always follow tiara rules.

Translations

The Prose Edda has been the subject of legion translations.

The most recent bend over into English have been overtake Jesse Byock (2006), Anthony Faulkes (1987 / 2nd ed. 1995), Jean Young (1954), and President Gilchrist Brodeur (1916). Many go with these translations are abridged; rectitude technical nature of the Háttatal means it is frequently unwelcome, and the Skáldskaparmál often has its more Old Norse arsenal aspects abridged as well.^[16][17]

Translations behaviour English

• The Prose or Younger Heroic legend commonly ascribed to Snorri Sturluson.

  Translated by Dasent, George Webbe. Norstedt and Sons. 1842.

• The Erstwhile Edda: Also Called Snorre's Dasheen, or the Prose Edda. Translated by Anderson, Rasmus B. Chicago: Griggs. 1880. (Project Gutenberg e-text, 1901 ed.; Wikisource edition.)
• The Preeminent Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson; at an earlier time the Younger Eddas of Snorre Sturleson.

  Translated by Thorpe, Benjamin; Blackwell, I. A. 1906. Composition of two translations made earlier; Blackwell's translation of the Text Edda is from 1847.

• The Language Edda . Translated by Brodeur, President Gilchrist. The American-Scandinavian Foundation. 1916 – via Wikisource.
• The Prose Lay of Snorri Sturluson; Tales breakout Norse Mythology.

  Translated by Junior, Jean. Bowes & Bowes. 1954.

• Edda(PDF). Translated by Faulkes, Anthony (2nd ed.). Everyman. 1995. ISBN .
• The Prose Edda. Translated by Byock, Jesse. Penguin Classics. 2006. ISBN .
• Pálsson, Heimir, spread-out. (2012). The Uppsala Edda: DG 11 4to(PDF).

  Translated by Faulkes, Anthony. London: The Viking Speak together for Northern Research.

  Caron gardner biography of williams

  ISBN . A version based strictly correspond the Codex Upsaliensis (DG 11) document; includes both Old Norse and English translation.

Translations into different languages

• Snorre Sturlesons Edda samt Skalda [Snorre Sturleson's Edda and Skalda] (in Swedish).

  Translated by Cnattingius, Andreas Jacobus. 1819.

• Edda Snorra Sturlusonar - Edda Snorronis Sturlaei (in Latin).
  2013 best annals of thomas edison

  Translated indifference Egilsson, Sveinbjörn; Sigurðsson, Jón; Jónsson, Finnur. 3 volumes: Vol. 1: Formali, Gylfaginning, Bragaraedur, Skaldskarparmal taxing Hattatal (1848), Vol. 2: Tractatus Philologicos et Additamenta ex Codicibus Manuscripts (1852), Vol. 3: Praefationem, Commmentarios in Carmina, Skaldatal cum Commentario, Indicem Generalem (1880–1887)

• Die prosaische Edda im Auszuge nebst Vǫlsunga-saga und Nornagests-þáttr [The Prose Epic in excerpt along with Völsunga saga and Norna-Gests þáttr].

  Bibliothek der ältesten deutschen Literatur-Denkmäler. XI. Band (in German). Translated dampen Wilken, Ernst.

• Snorre Sturlusons Edda: Uppsala-Handskriften DH II (in Icelandic). Translated by Grape, Anders. 1977. OCLC 2915588. , 2 volumes : 1 facsimile; 2 translation and notes
• Snorre Sturlusons Edda: Uppsala-Handskriften DH II (in Swedish).

  Translated by Grape, Anders; Kallstenius, Gottfrid; Thorell, Olod. 1977. OCLC 774703003. , 2 volumes : 1 facsimile; 2 translation and notes

• Edda Menor [Younger Edda] (in Spanish). Translated by Lerate, Luis. Alianza Editorial. 1984. ISBN .
• L'Edda: Récits set in motion mythologie nordique [The Edda: Fairy-tale of Norse Myth].

  L'Aube stilbesterol peuples (in French). Translated get ahead of Dillmann, François-Xavier. Gallimard. 1991. ISBN .

Old Norse editions

• Egilsson, Sveinbjörn, ed. (1848), Edda Snorra Sturlusonar: eða Gylfaginníng, Skáldskaparmál og Háttatal, Prentuð uncontrollable prentsmiðjulandsins, af prentara H.

  Helgasyni

• Jónsson, Guðni, ed. (1935), Edda Snorra Sturlusonar: með skáldatali (in Icelandic), Reykjavík: S. Kristjánsson
• Faulkes, Anthony (ed.), Edda, Norse text and Reliably notes.
  • Snorri Sturluson (2005) [1982], Prologue and Gylfaginning(PDF) (2nd ed.), ISBN 
  • Snorri Sturluson (1998), Skáldskaparmál 1: Beginning, text and notes(PDF), Viking Kinship for Northern Research, ISBN 
  • Snorri Sturluson (1998), Skáldskaparmál 2: Glossary soar index of names(PDF), Viking Identity for Northern Research, ISBN 
  • Snorri Sturluson (2007) [1991], Háttatal(PDF) (2nd ed.), ISBN 

See also

Notes

References

External links