Library Catalog

Essays on Eddic Poetry /

McKinnell, John

Essays on Eddic Poetry / John McKinnell; ed. by John Shafer, Donata Kick. - 1 online resource (392 p.) : 1 figure

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- 1 Vǫluspá and the Feast of Easter -- 2 On Heiðr and Gullveig -- 3 The Evolution of Hávamál -- 4 Hávamál B: A Reconstructed Poem of Sexual Intrigue -- 5 Wisdom from Dead Relatives: The Ljóðatal Section of Hávamál -- 6 The Paradox of Vafþrúðnismál -- 7 Motivation and Meaning in Lokasenna -- 8 Myth as Therapy: The Usefulness of Þrymskviða -- 9 Vǫlundarkviða: Origins and Interpretation -- 10 Female Reactions to the Death of Sigurðr -- 11 Two Sex Goddesses: Þorgerðr Hǫlgabrúðr and Freyja in Hyndluljóð -- 12 The Trouble with Father: Hervararkviða and the Adaptation of Traditional Story-patterns -- Abbreviations -- Bibliography -- Index

restricted access http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_16ec

Essays on Eddic Poetry presents a selection of important articles on Old Norse literature by noted medievalist John McKinnell. While McKinnell’s work addresses many of the perennial issues in the study of Old Norse, this collection has a special focus on the interplay between heathen and Christian world-views in the poems.Among the texts examined are Hávamál, which includes an elegantly cynical poem about Óðinn’s sexual intrigues and a more mystical one about his self-sacrifice on the world-tree in order to gain magical wisdom; Vǫlundarkviða, which recounts an elvish smith’s revenge for his captivity and maiming; and Hervararkviða, where the heroine bravely but foolishly raises her dead father to demand the deadly sword Tyrfingr from him.Originally published between 1988 and 2008, these twelve essays cover a wide range of mythological and heroic poems and have been revised and updated to reflect the latest scholarship.


Mode of access: Internet via World Wide Web.


In English.

9781442615885 9781442669260

10.3138/9781442669260 doi


Eddas--History and criticism.
Mythology, Norse, in literature.
Old Norse poetry--History and criticism.
LITERARY CRITICISM / Medieval.

PT7235 / .M35 2014eb

839.6/1009