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Edda: Povești din mitologia nordică
by
Edda reprezinta o excelenta introducere in lumea vechilor zei nordici, la fel de fascinanta si de bogata precum universul mitologic grecesc sau egiptean. Acest text contine atat cosmogonia din perspectiva popoarelor nordice, cat si cele mai cunoscute istorisiri despre Odin, Thor, Loki si ceilalti zei. Spectaculosul, aventura, crearea si distrugerea lumii zeiesti se implete
...more
Paperback, 224 pages
Published
2016
by Herald
(first published March 30th 1220)
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Start your review of Edda: Povești din mitologia nordică
The Edda is a collection of Norse myths, written in the 13th century by a dude named Snorri. It's where we got most of our knowledge of Norse mythology today, and it's wicked awesome. I learned, for instance, that your legs may hump each other and produce a child while you're asleep, which is something I'm going to be more careful about from now on. And that mead started as god spit, then turned into blood, and ended up being farted out of Odin's ass, which is, by a train of logic that actually
...more
It’s sort of strange to give a review of a book like this – as if I can sit here and complain that Thor’s character feels underdeveloped, or that I didn’t understand Odin’s motivation for acting as he did. It is, after all, from the 13th century, written by someone we might characterize as an Icelandic warlord – and yet, as removed as I am, it’s still fascinating. The book is genuinely funny at times, and the stories of the Norse gods and goddesses have a sense of humor to them that even the Gre
...more
Acknowledgements
Introduction & Notes
Further Reading
Note on the Translation
Map: The Geographical World of the 'Edda'
The Prose Edda
--Prologue
--Gylfaginning (The Deluding of Gylfi)
Skaldskaparmal (Poetic Diction)
--Mythic and Legendary Tales
--Poetic References from Skaldskaparmal (Translated by Russell Poole)
Appendices:
1. The Norse Cosmos and the World Tree
2. The Language of the Skalds: Kennings and 'Heiti'
3. Eddic Poems Used as Sources in 'Gylfaginning'
Genealogical Tables
Notes
Glossary of Names
...more
Introduction & Notes
Further Reading
Note on the Translation
Map: The Geographical World of the 'Edda'
The Prose Edda
--Prologue
--Gylfaginning (The Deluding of Gylfi)
Skaldskaparmal (Poetic Diction)
--Mythic and Legendary Tales
--Poetic References from Skaldskaparmal (Translated by Russell Poole)
Appendices:
1. The Norse Cosmos and the World Tree
2. The Language of the Skalds: Kennings and 'Heiti'
3. Eddic Poems Used as Sources in 'Gylfaginning'
Genealogical Tables
Notes
Glossary of Names
...more
So after diving headlong into ancient Norse mythology and history, by way of the Heimskringla, The Poetic Edda, and Sagas of Icelanders in turn, I've become ever more interested in the subject (and medieval literature generally). There simply isn't enough extant, well-preserved material to satisfy the desire to know everything, more often we're left with as many questions as answers. The Prose Edda is no exception. Written by the Icelandic chieftain-poet-historian Snorri Sturluson in the 13th ce
...more
Mar 19, 2015
João Fernandes
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
norse-literature
Did you know that all the Norse gods (Æsir) are descended from Priam of Troy, and therefore from Zeus himself?
Did you know apparently the Icelandic authors of the Viking myths are actually Plato disguised to continue his sick addiction to one-sided-interrogation-for-infodump?
If you did not, this book is for you!
Did you know apparently the Icelandic authors of the Viking myths are actually Plato disguised to continue his sick addiction to one-sided-interrogation-for-infodump?
If you did not, this book is for you!
you: earth is flat
me, an intellectual: earth is the world tree yggdrasil
me, an intellectual: earth is the world tree yggdrasil
The Sigur Rós playlist, fittingly, is on, and we are back in business!
+++
The army-musterer gave mountain-haunting ravens their fill. The raven got full on she-wolf’s prey, and spears rang.
Expectations versus reality. You hear the term bandied about all the time; and while my experience of it (at least in the literature-sphere) might not have been as extreme as some, I feel I’m coming closer to understanding that concept having finished the Edda. I wasn’t expecting to give this such an averag ...more
+++
The army-musterer gave mountain-haunting ravens their fill. The raven got full on she-wolf’s prey, and spears rang.
Expectations versus reality. You hear the term bandied about all the time; and while my experience of it (at least in the literature-sphere) might not have been as extreme as some, I feel I’m coming closer to understanding that concept having finished the Edda. I wasn’t expecting to give this such an averag ...more
I’ve been meaning to read both this and the Poetic Edda for a while now, and starting the Icelandic Sagas was just the kick in the pants I needed to do it. I felt like I could use some cultural context, and Snorri here provides it in spades. Norse mythology is fascinating in that it represents a belief-system that was actually practiced not so long ago, relatively speaking. Rome officially converted in the early 300s and I think that most of Europe outside the empire was at least nominally Chris
...more
Wow! Amazing piece of literature. Every time I finish reading one of these for the first time, I feel not as if I have accomplished a task, but been invited across a deep river to a faraway land. In this case, this river is black and icy and the land beyond it filled with Giants and their rocks and the gods in their mead-hall.
Another splendid look at Icelandic and Old Norse Literature by UCLA professor Jesse L. Byock, who has become probably the most respected scholar in the area worldwide -- outside of perhaps Iceland.
Here are told all the tales of the Aesir, the Gods Odin, Thor, Loki, Freya -- and the eventual doom that overtakes their world at Ragnarok, when the Fenriswolf and the Midgard Serpent are loosed upon the world tree Yggdrasil.
There is an incredible pathos to Norse mythology. Odin sees and calmly discu ...more
Here are told all the tales of the Aesir, the Gods Odin, Thor, Loki, Freya -- and the eventual doom that overtakes their world at Ragnarok, when the Fenriswolf and the Midgard Serpent are loosed upon the world tree Yggdrasil.
There is an incredible pathos to Norse mythology. Odin sees and calmly discu ...more
Tis a divinity shopping list. I'm in the lesser gods section.
They're on two for one.
*gets trolley rage at checkout* ...more
They're on two for one.
*gets trolley rage at checkout* ...more
Norse mythology is always the coolest one! <3
*Review to be posted*
Snorri Sturluson ranks as the least known literary genius in Western Civilization. His work was the apex of Icelandic literature dealing with the Viking age. While Iceland had been Christian for over two centuries when Sturluson wrote this text, it is (along with the Poetic Edda ) one of the best primary sources of Viking myth and religion.
Better known as the Prose Edda this text is an attempt to permanently record the intricacies of the orally transmitted Skaldic literary tradition. It recor ...more
Better known as the Prose Edda this text is an attempt to permanently record the intricacies of the orally transmitted Skaldic literary tradition. It recor ...more
Feb 17, 2017
Rebecca
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone who wants to learn more about Norse Mythology
Its so hard to rate or review a piece of workings that have influence so much of the world we know today. I almost feel I have no place in rating this when it is of such importance, however I did love this fascinating and very strange piece.
If you're intrigued or want to know more about Norse mythology and its origins, this is the book. The Prose Edda is nearly 800 years old and depicts ancient tales of gods and goddesses of Asgard and others of further worlds. While it is not a book to read for ...more
If you're intrigued or want to know more about Norse mythology and its origins, this is the book. The Prose Edda is nearly 800 years old and depicts ancient tales of gods and goddesses of Asgard and others of further worlds. While it is not a book to read for ...more
Despite all the countless lists of eyebrowraisingly foreignsounding names that Snorri Sturluson seems to enjoy riddling off every once in a while assuming that we'll remember all of them, The Prose Edda is a fun and fascinating ride. It's a short collection of short stories and lengthy passages detailing creation, gods, battles, prophecies, the past, the present, the future, and lots and lots of important hard to pronounce names to remember even though the book is a meager 120 pages not counting
...more
Jan 21, 2013
Eadweard
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
medieval-500s-1500s,
mythology,
poetry,
fiction-read,
favorites-or-really-liked,
germanic,
religion,
epics
I originally planned on reading Penguin's but I read that it omitted quite a few passages, so I went with this one instead.
Interesting how Snorri explains that the gods were actually humans and that they originated from Troy. As Odin and family migrated north, his offsprings founded many of the mythic germanic dynasties from which many rulers and persons claimed descent. As they reach Scandinavia they lose their 'asiatic' names and start being known by the names the natives call them; Odin, Thor ...more
Interesting how Snorri explains that the gods were actually humans and that they originated from Troy. As Odin and family migrated north, his offsprings founded many of the mythic germanic dynasties from which many rulers and persons claimed descent. As they reach Scandinavia they lose their 'asiatic' names and start being known by the names the natives call them; Odin, Thor ...more
If one compares the Greek mythology to that of the Norse, I would say there are three main differences: the sense of impending apocalypse, more thorough intimacy and Loki. A perfectly artificial way of summing it up, but these points struck me the most, especially since I read The Prose Edda straight after perusing some mythological tidbits of the Greek. The world of the Ancient Greeks is rich, lush and beautiful yet recognisably human at the same time - conversely, the world of the Norse was al
...more
The historical figures and mythological structure of the cosmos found in the Prose Edda existed in an oral tradition and skaldic poems long before an Icelandic nobleman named Snorri purportedly decided to put them down on paper. Much of the poetry concerning the Norse gods is sadly lost as a consequence of that tradition.
Snorri's work is an obvious attempt to preserve some of what was lost and promote the continuation of a poetic tradition that had begun to fade by the 13th century in the face o ...more
Snorri's work is an obvious attempt to preserve some of what was lost and promote the continuation of a poetic tradition that had begun to fade by the 13th century in the face o ...more
I quite enjoyed this actually
I respect the Prose Edda as our main source of Norse mythology. That said, it not particularly well written, its intention mostly being a lesson in poetry. As a fan of ancient myth and epics, I am the target audience and it did not land. That said, one interesting aspect is the references to Christianity that are shoe-horned into the text. In our time it might seem odd, but people do the same today. Austrian School economists try to explain the fall of Rome as caused by regulation and taxation w
...more
Sep 20, 2007
Carl
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Students/enthusiasts of mythology, heroic lit, and Norse lit.
Naturally my review has turned out to be too long, so I'll post what I can and then post the rest as comments. And if anyone in a position of power at goodreads sees this, please give us more room to write!
An excellent translation of Snorri's Edda, or the Prose Edda. I hear Jesse Byock has a translation out as well which I'll have to check out, but I see no reason for the beginner to try anything other than Faulkes'-- at the very least, I believe his academic work has had him more involved in re ...more
An excellent translation of Snorri's Edda, or the Prose Edda. I hear Jesse Byock has a translation out as well which I'll have to check out, but I see no reason for the beginner to try anything other than Faulkes'-- at the very least, I believe his academic work has had him more involved in re ...more
From a literary point of view, most of the tales are told in an interview-like fashion. We have curios characters, King Gylfe disguised as Ganglere asking questions to the asas, and in part two we have Æger asking questions to Brage. Therefore, the myths are presented in a matter-of-factly kind of fashion. You should not expect lavish, Tolkienesque descriptions, it wasn't the literary style of the time.
The The Prose Edda is much more than a simple collection of myths, it offers insight into the ...more
The The Prose Edda is much more than a simple collection of myths, it offers insight into the ...more
Jan 07, 2015
Kaila
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
for-class,
christianity-wins-again,
2015,
dragons,
mountains,
mythology,
gods,
literature,
classics,
boats
I skipped the last 100 or so pages as it got into a lot of stuff about poetry that I had little interest in. Probably really interesting from a historical stand point but just not much of a page turner.
I'm reading this for a class called Northern European Mythology. The professor had us start here because the prose is a little easier to penetrate than poetry, and she is spending a lot of time explaining what the hell all the gods are up to. The names and such can get really confusing.
But let me ...more
I'm reading this for a class called Northern European Mythology. The professor had us start here because the prose is a little easier to penetrate than poetry, and she is spending a lot of time explaining what the hell all the gods are up to. The names and such can get really confusing.
But let me ...more
Dec 29, 2008
Cwn_annwn_13
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
on-my-shelf-home-library
If you have an interest in mythology, Scandinavian culture, pre-Christian Indo-European worldview then this is a must read book. If your an Odinist this is a must read book, HOWEVER, the Eddas are not an Odinist bible. Snorri was a Christian who wrote this stuff 200 years after Iceland converted to Christianity. There are obvious Christian influences in the Eddas and there are compelling arguments that some of the Gods in the Eddas were never worshipped by Heathens and put there for entertainmen
...more
I've been told that most editions of The Edda of Snorri Sturluson (say it out loud, you'll love it) do not contain the 'Skaldskaparmal'. I thought this was the best part, and recommend that you find a copy with it included. It's basically a glossary of poetic terms and forms, breaking down the formal riddle-language into easily comprehensible parts. If you've ever found yourself overwhelmed by the kennings in an Icelandic epic (and who hasn't?), this book will straighten you right out.
Seriously ...more
Seriously ...more
Half the book was on old icelandic lagnguage, half on my native, so I could say I read whole book, other could say I read half the book. Part of the story was written in poetry. I didn't like the dated style.
The story centers on king Gylfi asking gods questions and they answered with mythological stories about creation of the world, end of the world, stories about gods, stories about the mythological creatures and objests, and there was Thor's story at the end.
Must have for everyone trying to le ...more
The story centers on king Gylfi asking gods questions and they answered with mythological stories about creation of the world, end of the world, stories about gods, stories about the mythological creatures and objests, and there was Thor's story at the end.
Must have for everyone trying to le ...more
My main concern about reading books these days are will they inspire some piece of art or a drawing or a fresh idea. This is all I care about. So this book is a win in that regard. This book gave me some great ideas for art/paintings, (one of which I am working on right now) based on the weird and sometimes whimsical stories about the Aesir (gods/goddesses) of the Nordic Pantheon. I enjoyed reading this a great deal.
The Norse mythology that has come down to us, is primarily thanks to one Icelandic scholar and politician. The Prose Edda is Snorri Sturluson’s attempt to compile the myths of the Northern world and save the knowledge of how skaldic poetry is composed.
The book is essentially divided into two parts, the first is strictly concerned with mythology and the second is a mix of mythology and learning the rules of skaldic poetry. While Snorri follows the examples of Virgil and Geoffrey of Monmouth of co ...more
The book is essentially divided into two parts, the first is strictly concerned with mythology and the second is a mix of mythology and learning the rules of skaldic poetry. While Snorri follows the examples of Virgil and Geoffrey of Monmouth of co ...more
It was interesting reading the original written source of the compiled stories of Norse mythology and see how similar the stories have stayed today, and sometimes how they have changed. It is clear that Norse culture learned through a call-and-response discussion and that came through in the way the stories were written: a new learner would ask questions and the more knowledgeable person would answer. Well worth the read!
Rate Procedure:
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| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colosseum. Sfide ...: GDL: Edda di Snorri Sturluson | 14 | 13 | Apr 01, 2020 01:59AM | |
| Play Book Tag: Prose Edda - Snorri Sturluson - 3 stars | 6 | 15 | May 17, 2018 07:23PM | |
| Goodreads Librari...: author name and surname inverted | 5 | 15 | Oct 29, 2017 02:52AM | |
| Goodreads Librari...: wrong cover and incomplete info. | 10 | 82 | Mar 24, 2014 07:51AM | |
| greatest parties in literature | 2 | 39 | Jul 08, 2013 10:14AM | |
| Fantasy Aficionados: Which edition of Norse myths? | 3 | 37 | Jul 01, 2013 02:23PM |
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Snorri Sturluson (also spelled Snorre Sturlason) was an Icelandic historian, poet and politician. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the Icelandic parliament, the Althing. He was the author of the Prose Edda or Younger Edda, which consists of Gylfaginning ("the fooling of Gylfi"), a narrative of Norse mythology, the Skáldskaparmál, a book of poetic language, and the Háttatal, a list of verse forms
...more
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