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32nd out of 394 books
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749 voters
The Poetic Edda
The Poetic Edda comprises a treasure trove of mythic and spiritual verse holding an important place in Nordic culture, literature, and heritage. 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.
Collected b
...morePaperback, Second Edition, Revised, 375 pages
Published
January 1st 1986
by University of Texas Press
(first published 1270)
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PLEASE NOTE: Due to poor organization of translations on this website, I must note that this is a review of Andy Orchard's translation of the "Poetic Edda", which he has titled "The Elder Edda: A Book of Viking Lore".
Being familiar with Andy Orchard's handbook on Norse mythology ("Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend", 1997) and finding it to be a nice middle ground between Rudolf Simek's deeply flawed handbook and the limited scope of John Lindow's own, it was with high hopes that I waited for...more
Being familiar with Andy Orchard's handbook on Norse mythology ("Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend", 1997) and finding it to be a nice middle ground between Rudolf Simek's deeply flawed handbook and the limited scope of John Lindow's own, it was with high hopes that I waited for...more
I was fortunate to have recently read the D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths before I tackled this more challenging read, which the D'Aulaires had cited as their source. The University of Texas, where he was Professor of Germanic Languages, in 1962, published Professor Hollander’s revised translation. The Edda, literally grandmother in Old Norse, is a collection of poems by different poets arranged to tell the stories of the Norse gods and heroes. “Collected by an unidentified Icelander, probably d...more
The introduction states that the Edda is "a repository, in poetic form" of mythology and heroic lore "bodying forth both the ethical views and the cultural life of the North during the late heathen and early Christian times." It is also, for the most part, boring as fuck. It may be an interesting read if you are a fan of English before it got corrupted by all those French and Latin borrowings, or don't mind stopping several times a page to find out the meaning of an obscure or terribly archaic w...more
Jan 21, 2011
Eirene
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Those who love poetry of the kind like Beowulf
" So weave we weird sisters our war winning woof..." I did not start out to read Old Norse poetry. I was looking up something regarding the Valkyrie for a piece I was writing and I came across this one line. Needless to say, the spectacular alliteration got me. I picked up this book from the library and read through it. Found in these poems are the stories of the Valkyrie, Jörmunrekkr, king of the Goths, the Nibelung and, if I recall correctly, even references to Attila the Hun. The structure is...more
Edit: In case of any confusion, this review refers to Patricia Ann Terry's 1969 translation of the Elder Edda, titled "Poems of the Vikings".
A fine poetic working of these old Norse poems. I'm not in a position to judge the accuracy of the translation, but it reads very well in modern English, and despite the ready availability of other mod. Eng. editions I haven't found one that seems to capture the tone as well as this.
There isn't much in the way of scholarly apparatus here (hence the 4 star...more
A fine poetic working of these old Norse poems. I'm not in a position to judge the accuracy of the translation, but it reads very well in modern English, and despite the ready availability of other mod. Eng. editions I haven't found one that seems to capture the tone as well as this.
There isn't much in the way of scholarly apparatus here (hence the 4 star...more
First, of course, the Poetic Edda is amazing. Such a wealth of myths and legends, so fascinating and so intricate, is something that'll keep one going for years and years. Hollander's translation is somewhat odd, though very fun...when it's understandable. He keeps the alliterative meter as much as he can, though at times that gets him into certain binds. Strange to say, his word choice follows him into his footnotes (which are, on the whole, extremely useful). Not a translation for those who ar...more
Contents
Introductory Material: iv-xliv (x)
Mythological Poems
Voluspa: 5-14 (x)
Havamal: 15-39 (x)
Vafthrudnusmal: 39-49 (x)
Grimnismal: 49-59 (x)
For Skirmis: 59-67
Harbardsljod: 67-76 (x)
Hymiskvuda: 77-82
Lokasenna: 82-96
Thrymskvida: 96-101
Volundarkvida: 101-108
Alvissmal: 108-113
Heroic Poems
Helgakvida Hundingsbana in fyrri: 117-125
Helgakvida Hjorvardssonar: 126-135
Helgakvida Hundingsbana onnur: 136-144
Fra dauda Sinfjotla: 145
Gripisspa: 146-153
Reginsmal: 154-159
Fafnismal: 160-168
Sigrdrifumal: 169-175
Br...more
Introductory Material: iv-xliv (x)
Mythological Poems
Voluspa: 5-14 (x)
Havamal: 15-39 (x)
Vafthrudnusmal: 39-49 (x)
Grimnismal: 49-59 (x)
For Skirmis: 59-67
Harbardsljod: 67-76 (x)
Hymiskvuda: 77-82
Lokasenna: 82-96
Thrymskvida: 96-101
Volundarkvida: 101-108
Alvissmal: 108-113
Heroic Poems
Helgakvida Hundingsbana in fyrri: 117-125
Helgakvida Hjorvardssonar: 126-135
Helgakvida Hundingsbana onnur: 136-144
Fra dauda Sinfjotla: 145
Gripisspa: 146-153
Reginsmal: 154-159
Fafnismal: 160-168
Sigrdrifumal: 169-175
Br...more
I bought this book several years ago and by several I mean many but never got around to reading it in its entirely. I thought it was about time I did that, so.. well, I did. Although it took me ages to finish it, that is in no way a reflection on the quality of the book itself - more my ability to be distracted, etc. So, let's get on with the review.
As someone not terribly familiar with Norse myth, I came away from the book feeling that I understood the essence of it a bit better. Having recentl...more
As someone not terribly familiar with Norse myth, I came away from the book feeling that I understood the essence of it a bit better. Having recentl...more
When you consider the fact that pre-Christian Scandinavian cultures, at least the ones responsible for the stories written down in the Edda, believed the world was created from the dismembered body of a giant, then you begin to realize that it's not going to be a trip to Mr. Roger's Neighborhood.
Even the gods are doomed, and when Odin, boss of the gods, is constantly trying to find secret wisdom to avert the prophesied battle that will kill the gods, you know you're screwed.
Not for the faint...more
Even the gods are doomed, and when Odin, boss of the gods, is constantly trying to find secret wisdom to avert the prophesied battle that will kill the gods, you know you're screwed.
Not for the faint...more
It turns out that I have a real thing for Scandinavian literature. Reading this and the sagas has made me a little obsessed with the idea of visiting Iceland. It’s hard for me to separate my thoughts on the eddas from my thoughts on the sagas and the most recent Sigrid Undset novel I’m reading, but I’m going to try to keep everything to it’s proper review space.
Alright. The Elder Edda (or Poetic Edda) is the written version of the oral-tradition base material from which the later Younger/Prose...more
Alright. The Elder Edda (or Poetic Edda) is the written version of the oral-tradition base material from which the later Younger/Prose...more
This is a really good (modern) Dutch translation of the poetic Edda.
***
Super goede vertaling. Het was mijn eerste kennismaking met de Poetische Edda, maar als ik de vertaling vergelijk met andere epen die ik in vertaling las, is het zeker een van de betere.
De Edda zelf vond ik heerlijke literatuur. Ik verschoot ervan hoe veel ik herkende, en hoe verwikkeld de Noordse Mythologie is met het verleden (Nooit gedacht dat Atilla de Hun een rol zou spelen in Viking verhalen).
Enorm van genoten.
***
Super goede vertaling. Het was mijn eerste kennismaking met de Poetische Edda, maar als ik de vertaling vergelijk met andere epen die ik in vertaling las, is het zeker een van de betere.
De Edda zelf vond ik heerlijke literatuur. Ik verschoot ervan hoe veel ik herkende, en hoe verwikkeld de Noordse Mythologie is met het verleden (Nooit gedacht dat Atilla de Hun een rol zou spelen in Viking verhalen).
Enorm van genoten.
Aug 15, 2008
Paula
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Norse mythology fanatics only
Recommended to Paula by:
History, it has been lovingly preserved for centuries, that's re
I enjoy reading heroic literature, and this is its earliest incarnation. Go back to a time when loyalty, honor and strength of character really meant something. Men were men in those days, and ladies were as courageous as their men. The women could even be bloodthirsty warriors, just like the men. They called them Valkeries.
This may not be to everyone's taste. You would have to have loved reading L'Morte D'Arthur (King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table as told in the days before Shakespe...more
This may not be to everyone's taste. You would have to have loved reading L'Morte D'Arthur (King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table as told in the days before Shakespe...more
I rate this low because I cannot stand Hollander's poetic translation of the Edda. It mangles the meaning and is difficult to understand due to archaic word usage. Further, I don't think he captured the sound of Old Norse in English. For that, I'd recommend Tolkien's The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun. However, Hollander's introduction and notes through the text are excellent!
This classic text compiles many of the great poems of the Viking age; poems that give insight into the Viking culture, myths and society. In fact this is one of the major primary sources we have for the Viking myths. This version keeps as close to their original peotic form as possible. The translator does an excellent job of annotating the poems with introductions and footnotes that help the modern English speaker relate to these tales.
This text is for anyone who is interested in Viking myth a...more
This text is for anyone who is interested in Viking myth a...more
The characters are very extreme and the tales are like opera - over the top. Way more extreme emotions and plots when compared to the tales in Kalevala, Ellis' Celtic Myths, or Irish/Scott/Welsh folk lore. This is full opera, and much harder to relate to or even understand as it is disjointed - tales don't flow from one story to the next. And also, much of it is a long listing of wise sayings on how to live rather than a stories. To have a good understanding of the Icelandic mythology structure...more
The first time I read this, I picked up the Andy Orchard translation, and later read a few of the other, older translations. It was a good idea for me; often I have difficulty reading epic poetry and understanding what exactly is going on, and I'd heard that this version dropped a lot of the grandiose language, making it a lot clearer. Despite the inaccuracies pointed out by other reviewers, I was pleased I read it first. That said, definitely go and read at least one other translation to compar...more
While I found the Prose Edda to be clearer when telling the stories of the gods, some of the poems dealing with the legend of Sigurd, Brynhild, Gudrun, and her family were incredibly impacting -- especially the women's laments. I thought they captured well the (almost desperate) agonizing ambivalence of the (tragic) heroic code.
On an unrelated note, this was translated by my Oxford tutor.
On an unrelated note, this was translated by my Oxford tutor.
Fantastic work. The translator did their best to use English words of Germanic origin, and hewed to the original meter as much as possible for an experience as close to the Norse as one can get without knowing the language. Makes for excellent reading aloud material.
I love skaldic poetry, but I understand that it's not for everyone. But, if you like Norse mythology and cryptic allusions to the nuances of a long dead, bawdy and surly culture of drinkers and carousers, then this is certainly the book for you.
It's kind of hard to give this book a rating, since I didn't read it for fun. It was purely for research, and anything research and reference related is only as good as the source material. It was interesting to read all the poems and get a glimpse at life and culture and attitudes of the vikings back then, or at least when it was written down. The one thing that bugged me were the literal English translations of some of the names. For example, Freyja's boar's name is literally given as "Battleb...more
Still working through this, but it looks interesting so far. I've got my preliminary review up on my blog: http://vikingsbooksetc.wordpress.com/...
Although there was a lot of name dropping (see large segments of the Bible), there is something about these Icelandic poems of gods and heroes that I really liked. I think some of them even inspired the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty. If you are a Tolkien fan, this is a must read. This collection includes the original "heroic knight slays treasure hoarding dragon in a cave" story.
I mistaken the book to be a novel that I can read non-stop but I was wrong. It was pretty heavy to do justice to reading. Although considering the original language and how hard the translation would be, I think it was a good work. Talking about Oxford Publications, the explanatory notes at the back of the book could've been better if they were under the related passages. It made it double hard to go back and forth in the book all the time.
The Poetic Edda goes hand-in-hand with the Prose Edda. Unlike the Prose Edda, the transcriber(s) of the collected poems and sayings are unknown. My Odin quote comes from this book, from a collection of sayings of the Norse God entitled 'Sayings of the High One'.
Unless you really like things Norse, you will probably find this book hard going. On the other hand, the poetry is not 'poetry for the sake of it', there are many pearls of wisdom, so if you are looking for tips on how to live a better li...more
Unless you really like things Norse, you will probably find this book hard going. On the other hand, the poetry is not 'poetry for the sake of it', there are many pearls of wisdom, so if you are looking for tips on how to live a better li...more
I am proud of myself for reading this. And yes, I enjoyed it. I would have to read it at least one more time if not more to truly grasp it's contents. I would like to read another translation and I would like to read this translation again. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in Mythology or just some great stories in poetic form.
Unfinished; it was due back at the library with other holds on it, so I got a different copy instead.
The translation of the Sayings of the High One seemed a little colloquial at point, but I can't say whether that was a translator decision or appropriate to the text until I compare it with the other translation.
The translation of the Sayings of the High One seemed a little colloquial at point, but I can't say whether that was a translator decision or appropriate to the text until I compare it with the other translation.
Any fan of Tolkien, and anyone interested in Norse history will love this book. Highly recommended reading. I am part Icelandic myself, and have always loved the ancient Pantheons, so maybe I am biased, but I believe you wont regret this. One note, it isn't what you expect from ancient poetry, it's viking poetry. All the mead, spears, and Valkyries you could want.
For a longer review, and a comparison to Dante's Inferno, please visit http://blondahl.blogspot.ca/2012/10/t...
For a longer review, and a comparison to Dante's Inferno, please visit http://blondahl.blogspot.ca/2012/10/t...
I'm not sure how I feel about this translation, but, I still enjoyed the content.
Kind of like Ovid, but with less love stories and more monsters and killing and doom.
This is one of the only primary texts we have as insight into Norse Mythology.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| Ancient World: Ancient Scandinavia | 1 | 19 | Dec 05, 2012 03:06am |
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“Men brave and generous live the best lives, seldom will they sorrow; then there are fools, afraid of everything, who grumble instead of giving.”
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“Wiem, gdzie jesion stoi, Yggdrasill się zowie,
Lśniącą wilgotnością pień jego zroszony;
Z niego idzie rosa, co w dolinach spada,
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Lśniącą wilgotnością pień jego zroszony;
Z niego idzie rosa, co w dolinach spada,
Koło Urs studni wciąż zielony stoi.”
Dec 20, 2012 06:22am