The Poetic Edda: Stories of the Norse Gods and Heroes

by Unknown, Jackson Crawford (Translator)

"The poems of the Poetic Edda have waited a long time for a Modern English translation that would do them justice. Here it is at last (Odin be praised!) and well worth the wait. These amazing texts from a 13th-century Icelandic manuscript are of huge historical, mythological and literary importance, containing the lion's share of information that survives today about the gods and heroes of pre-Christian Scandinavians, their unique vision of the beginning and end of the world, etc. Jackson Crawford's modern versions of these poems are authoritative and fluent and often very gripping. With their individual headnotes and complementary general introduction, they supply today's readers with most of what they need to know in order to understand and appreciate the beliefs, motivations, and values of the Vikings."—Dick Ringler, Professor Emeritus of English and Scandinavian Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison

Genres: Mythology, Classics, Poetry, History, Literature, Folklore, Philosophy

32 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 4, 2023

About the author

Books can be attributed to "Unknown" when the author or editor (as applicable) is not known and cannot be discovered. If at all possible, list at least one actual author or editor for a book instead of using "Unknown".

Books whose authorship is purposefully withheld should be attributed instead to Anonymous.

Reviews

[Leah M · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who adores reading mythology from a variety of cultures, I'm appalled by how little I know about Norse mythology. On a mission to change this, I asked a friend where I should start, and was told that this was a good place.

I checked out the audiobook version, and was incredibly glad that I did. It's narrated by the author, who gives a little bit of feedback at the start of each story. Crawford provides some info about his translation, what is important or not so important about the story, and what to be aware of. I appreciated his input as someone who came to this entirely ignorant of the stories.

Shortly into the book, I became aware that I *might* have bitten off more than I could chew. I was confused by the names since I didn't know any of the characters, but I had already pushed through so much of the story that I decided to just keep on with it. Something stuck, because I moved on to another, easier version of Norse mythology, but while listening to it, things started to click from this book. Ultimately, this is an awesome audiobook, but definitely not the place to start for someone who has absolutely no knowledge of Norse mythology, the gods, or heroes.

[Heather Racey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honesty time: I was an English major in college, and I hardly ever read the books assigned. After the instructor would finish teaching on a book, it wasn’t uncommon that I would say to myself, “wow… that story sounded interesting… I should read it someday!” Then I would write a 15-page paper on said stories and, by God’s mercy, get an A in the class.

This was the first book for assigned reading in my college course, “Vikings and Literature.” Tolkien took much inspiration from it and even blatantly plagiarized from it! It is a collection of the most ancient old Norse poems containing an array of myths and legends. The translation assigned in college was very straightforward and difficult to read. I would liken THIS (second photo) translation to the NLT Bible. I particularly enjoyed the “Havamal” and, subsequently, the “Cowboy Havamal” in the appendix. This is a collection of wise sayings from Odin. Crawford compared them to the Proverbs of the Bible, and these wise sayings have the same rhythm and themes as such. They touch on alcohol, laziness, friendship, gift giving, money, and women. Some aspects of the original Havamal came off as very selfish and even cruel, but the abridged cowboy version was actually charming and sound.

If you’d like to maintain a quirky image of a humorous Thor, Odin, Loki, and Heimdall, maybe don’t consider reading this. Infidelity, rape, and murder are common actions among these characters, and it makes them all quite unlikeable.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I enjoyed this quite a bit, but something about this translation kind of felt odd and I'm not overly sure why. I haven't read any other version as of yet, but once I do I'll try to update here.

[Bree Hatfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Norse Pagan, it’s hard to rate this book. These are the stories of my Gods and the great heroes of their culture. Not all of them are great; some are disturbing, some are boring, and others are hard to follow. But these stories and poems really are wonderful. And Jackson Crawford’s translation is amazing! I loved that he included not only the Havamal, but the fun and heartfelt Cowboy Havamal. I haven’t read any other translations (although I plan to rectify that soon), but this one was a very good beginner-friendly one.

[Scott S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this. The hottie I love recommended it when I expressed interest in Norse Mythology and I'm glad she did. I'll come back for The Prose Edda at some point.

The weight of fate in every line, yet also a flood of chaos. Reading about these finicky false gods only deepens my appreciation for serving an unchanging God.

The repetition of certain lines in some of the tales stood out to me. Normally, that might have bothered me, but something in the delivery made it epic instead.

Excellent narration

[Jason Mackay · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I enjoyed these stories, the Lokasenna being my favorite. I loved Loki crashing a party and insulting all the gods.

My criticism really comes from the fact that these are almost 1000 years old, or at least most of them are. And you can see that in the way stuff is repetitive. This was particularly noticeable in the first few poems that had Odin as the speaker. It was really annoying, but that is just a relic from how it was written down. overall I enjoyed this!

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most surprising things about this read was learning just how much JRR Tolkien leaned on it. I knew as a professor of Middle English he was heavily influenced by Medieval works, but he pulled far more from the Poetic Edda than I realized.

The poetry was not as nuanced as translations for many other cultures' mythologies have been, though this might simply be a language and culture thing.

Even so, it was enjoyable and filled my thirst for mythologies.

[Kennedy Hjelte · Rating 2 out of 5]

honestly i can understand why people enjoy this. it’s just not for me! love poetry tho <3

[John Poulain · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot shorter than I'd have thought given the impact of the tales there would be more fleshing out. The Translator gives notes before each part to orientate and explain what might not be relevant. Full of the otherworldly approach to morality and the world where feuds never end due to the odd code of honour, one side wants Revenge because a family member was killed, but it was in self sentence, but they had been fed Wolf meat that made them aggressive etc.

The last portion of the book focuses mainly on Sigurd, the greatest hero who's name will never die (oops) and his adventures fighting dragons and finding love. Add the prophecy shows he doesn't live a happy life bur neither does he try to fight fate, which seems to be the main theme, even Odin can't figure out how to fight against Ragnarok and just does his best to be ready for the final battle.

The fall soft the house of Attila is described several times, and the insane vengeance of brunhild, As vengeance for family members, killed her children by the target of her vengeance, Fed her children to their father, told him, set the building on fire and killed all the Huns. 

Theres one story where Sigurd is surprised a woman is in armour which seems to unfortunately imply the whole Shield Maiden concept is rare.

" In every hand hidden in a cloak I expect to see a weapon. Many things can get worse in 5 days. The ignorant man doesn't know how ignorant he is". the Viking proverbs for life are very Spartan

Choice Notes
 Don't praise the day until it's night,
Don't praise your wife until she's buried
don't praise the sword until after the fight
Don't praise your daughter until she's married
Don't praise the ice until it's crossed
Or the ale until you're sloshed 
" If you had let their Norns weep", does that imply different fates for different peoples? 

[Xolok Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Edda were written centuries ago, and we can't be sure whether or not they are perfect reflections of pre-Christian Norse culture. The culture presented can be pretty alarming. The poems sometimes express deeply misogynistic views. Violence seems to be the go-to chosen solution to any problem. It feel less heroic when "Heroes" tend to kill people because they want to or because of oaths rather than because they have to. Violence is usually answered with more violence. This makes me question how accurate of a portrayal these are of Norse life, because if everyone acted so "heroically," there would be hardly anyone left in Scandinavia, Iceland, or Greenland. The culture was more complex. Possibly the Eddas, which are often focused on the gods and nobles, reflect more an impression of the fickle and deadly reality of Nature and the ruling class. Maybe the gods are murderous savages because Nature and Chiefs can be too. Keeping all this in mind, these are classic stories and Jackson Crawford's collection is well done.

[Paul Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first sustained introduction to the Poetic Edda, and Jackson Crawford’s translation made it not only approachable but genuinely compelling. His language is clear, modern, and restrained, allowing the poetry, myth, and worldview of the Norse sources to stand on their own without feeling academic or overworked. What struck me most was how alive these poems feel—grim, humorous, unsettling, and wise by turns—revealing a mythic imagination deeply concerned with fate, honor, loss, and endurance. Crawford’s minimal but helpful notes provide just enough context to guide the reader without interrupting the experience of the poems themselves. For anyone new to Norse mythology, or for readers who want a translation that emphasizes clarity and voice over ornament, this is an excellent and highly readable place to begin.

[Thewriter Excidivmfero · Rating 5 out of 5]

He perdido la cuenta de las veces que he leído la Edda Mayor, a veces en castellano y a veces en inglés, realmente me parece una de las mejores colecciones líricas que se han hecho jamás.

Pero esta vez lo que hice fue escuchar la bonitísima traducción de Jackson Crawford de boca de él mismo y es una experiencia alucinante, nunca había disfrutado tanto de estos textos. El profesor Crawford en su canal de Youtube era uno de mis vaqueros favoritos pero escucharlo leer historias que me gustan tanto le convirtió definitivamente en mi vaquero favorito, ojalá poder visitar beautiful Colorado algún día.

[Joseph B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Jackson Crawford's translation of the Poetic Edda is "modern" and approachable, without comprising the original texts from centuries ago. Crawford has a rather lengthy opening; where he explains why he translated things the way he did and educates the reader on the (sometimes) startlingly different culture these books originate from. These poems range from short to very short. I was satisfied with the depth and dedication to the translation. The stories themselves were occasionally a bit more than I was prepared for; as a few are abstract or historical lineage focused. However in the end I am glad I finally gave The Poetic Edda a shot. 5 out of 5 stars.

[Robert Nield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very natural translation of a thoroughly fascinating set of reasonably old poems. The mythological material dealing with the Norse deities is very compelling, with the Aesir as a puzzlingly impotent divine family compared to e.g. the Hellenic or Hittite traditions.

What I was surprised to find myself really drawn into was the Volsung saga and how historically situated much of the brutal Norse heroic tradition is, to the extent that Attila, King of the Huns, is nearly in the same frame as Sigurth the dragon-slayer.

[Daniel Thrash · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listed to the audiobook and enjoyed every minute. This version of the norse gods and hero’s feels like they would fit in Game of Thrones or the Old Testament human, wise, and cruel with the same story sometimes contradicting themselves between tellings. I felt like I was sitting around a campfire listening to an old scoutmaster tell stories. The Cowboy Havamal finishes out the book. I will definitely be returning to read or listen to it again and again.

[Cara Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about Norse mythology. He breaks down pronunciation as well as stylistic choices in his translation in a very easy to understand way. My personal favorite is Völuspá simply for the imagery. If you’re a fan of Tolkien and want to see where his inspiration and ideas came from, this is a good read.

[Olivia Gratehouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was kind of a slog to get through, but I’m giving it 3.5/4 stars because I think the translator, Jackson Crawford, did a marvelous job at making everything clear and concise and easy to understand. Also the ending appendix “The Cowboy Havamal,” made it all worthwhile, and it was immensely enjoyable listening to Crawford’s attempt at a southern accent. 😆

[Wally Nobody · Rating 5 out of 5]

This week, I listened to two different recordings of The Poetic Edda because the writing style is illusive but the imagery so boldly solid. I really love Jackson's edition! The Greco-Roman gods are violent and all too human, but these Norse gods are violent in a twisted way. They're so blood thirsty, and they make reference to the joys of rape. I can see how people were terrified of Vikings.

[Willow · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read most of this for my Vikings and Old Norse Culture class. It’s not something I would read on my own but it was pretty good despite that. Its definitely confusing to take in all of these stories that intersect and are connected all at once, particularly if you aren’t familiar with Old Norse culture already, so I probably would have retained more if I could have read way more slowly.

[Bram Wijngaarden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being composed of separate poems, it lacks the flow of some other epic poems. But it has all the drama, betrayal, and violence that you could expect, as well as some surprisingly heartfelt moments and some wise words of advice. For the Norse tales, maybe I would have been better of reading the prose Edda, but quite enjoyable nonetheless.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crawford did a great job narrating the audiobook, and I enjoy the editorial changes he made to the order and some of the texts. My favorite parts were with Sigurd and Gudrun, probably because I've read the Niebelungenlied.

[Finntastic Explanations · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely well written. One can tell the massive effort that went into translating and packaging this information. The stories would be engaging for those with no prior information or those who are well accustomed to old Norse tales.

[Rick Mekking · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very clear, gives context and explains why he made certain choices. Will definitely read the books he recommended to expand my knowledge.

[Nyx · Rating 3 out of 5]

I need to read more Norse myths.

[Quentin Reigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative and well translated

[John Hickey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Jackson Crawford!! Keep up the amazing work.

[Sevron Tolin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jackson Crawford you son of Angrboða! Your translations captured me and your writing make the Allfather proud.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

7/10 - Good.

Listening to this on audiobook by the translator himself surely made a huge difference.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really informative and enjoyable translations of the old Norse poems. Explained really well.

[Madeline Rochon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not that I would know if this is a good translation, but idk it seems like a pretty good translation