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Norse Mythology
Norse Mythology
Norse Mythology
in its form today comes down to us mainly from the Icelandic Eddas and sagas which
were written down centuries after the Christianisation took hold in
the north. There has been vast research trying to discern the true
ancient religion as it was practiced by the people of the Scandinavian
countries. This is opposed to the representation we are given in the written
sources. Norse mythology presents us with a multilayered, often
contradictory, world view with a myriad of parallels in other
mythological systems. It is a playground for the comparative mythology
researcher, rich with elements from Indo-European, Shamanistic, and
other belief systems. It is with this thought that I hope to present
some of the more better researched works of authors in the field of Norse
Mythology. I will also include others of a more controversial nature that
may conflict with varying scholastic views.
I
leave it to the discerning reader to make up their owns minds as to
the validity of the information presented here.
Probably one of the most recommended beginners
books, Kevin Crossley takes the reader into the Norse worldview and
interestingly enough to the World of the Rus Viking and Ibn Fadlan.
The author's introduction is excellent with a bearing on the lay
reader whilst Crossley's 32 chapters render the stories into a
modern language that retains much of the character of the original
poems and sources. The text of the myths is left clean and
uncluttered with foot notes. If there is a downside to this book,
some folks might argue that there are details that do not go in
depth enough? Following the myths is a section of commentary on each
of them. The book has a glossary with a helpful bibliography.
The Norse Myths (Pantheon Fairy
Tale and Folklore Library) (Paperback)
ISBN: 0836950860
****
Rating 4 Stars
http://www.nesfa.org/reviews/Olson/NorseMyths.html
This book by Padraic Colum is a
rich selection of age-old legends concerning the gods and goddesses
who dwell in Asgard, their problems with the mischievous Loki, the
exploits of Odin and Thor, the story of Sigurd, the winning of
Brynhild, the twilight of the gods and more. Enhanced with over 40
atmospheric illustrations by Willy Pogany. The book is well
written but divided into 4 components, each
part containing about 8 - 12 stories about the Gods. The stories are
both amusing and entertaining and if anything, the price of this
book is also very affordable and would make a good gift for any
beginner or folks with a low budget interested in Northern Mythology.
Nordic Gods and Heroes (281 page paperback)
by Padraic Colum
ISBN: 0486289125
See also:
The Children of Odin
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/ice/coo/
***
Rating 3 Stars
Professor John Lindow's "Norse
Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs" is one
of three important reference works on the subject currently or
recently available, following Rudolf Simek's heavily linguistic
"Dictionary of Northern Mythology" (German edition 1984, translated by
Angela Hall, 1993) and Andy Orchard's "Cassell's Dictionary of Norse
Myth & Legend" (and slightly variant titles, 1997). Each of the three
takes a different approach, and I have found them nicely
complementary.The book opens with an introduction that explores the
historical background of the Scandinavian people, their ties to
Indo-European culture, the tradition of Skaldic poetry, and the texts
of Snorri Sturluson. In addition, problems that arise in studying
Norse mythology are addressed, problems that develop as texts dealing
with Norse deities were composed by Christian authors writing in
different languages centuries after the actual worship of the deities.
John Lindow, Norse Mythology: A Guide
to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs (Oxford University Press,
2001)
ISBN: 0-19-515382-0
****
Rating 4 Stars
http://greenmanreview.com/book/book_lindow_norsemythology.html
The three mighty
gods of the Germanic pantheon, Freyr, órr, and Odinn, are very
different from one another. Freyr appears as the divine counterpart
of the sacred human kng, Borr is the friend of men and the champion
of human values. Odinn, as a mysterious wonderer and magician,
arrives unexpectedly to help, to counsel, or to destroy. This book
traces the equalities of the gods to the variant strands of which
Germanic myth is woven: to the humanistic values of the Ancient
Middle East where the figure of the monster-fighter originated, to
social institution of kingship, and to the warrior ideals of the
nomadic steppe nations. This new study by Lotte Motz is a major step
towards questioning Dumezil“s Three-Function-Theory and is likely to
spark off new discussions on the nature and origin of the heathen
Germanic religion.
The King, the Champion and the Sorcerer by Prof. Lotte Motz
A Study in Germanic Myth
ISBN: 3-900538-57-3
Ref:
http://www.fassbaender.com/index.php?dest=sms&dir=sms
****
Rating 4 Stars
Viking Empires is a definitive new history
of five hundred years of Viking civilisation and the first study of
the global implications of the expansion, integration, and
reorientation of the Viking World. Offering an assessment of
Scandinavian society before the 790s, the book traces the political,
military, cultural and religious history of the Viking Age from
Iceland to the Baltic States. The authors show that it is not
possible to understand the history of the Norman Conquest, the
successes of David I of Scotland or the relationship between the
Holy Roman Empire and the Papacy without considering the impact of
the history of Scandinavia. The book concludes with a new account of
the end of the Viking era, arguing that there was no sudden decline
but the gradual absorption of the Scandinavian kingdoms into the
project of the crusades and a refocusing of imperial ambitions on
the Baltic and Eastern Europe.
Angelo Forte, Richard Oram, Frederik
Pedersen:
Viking Empires
(Cambridge University Press) 462 pages
http://www.cambridge.org/uk/history/vikingempires/book.htm
ISBN-10: 0521829925 Hardback
Also see:
http://www.cambridge.org/aus/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=0521829925&ss=exc
****
Rating 4 Stars
The first book in English to deal with the twin subjects of Old Norse
poetry and the various vernacular treatises on native poetry that were
a conspicuous feature of medieval intellectual life in Iceland and the
Orkneys from the mid-twelfth to the fourteenth centuries. Its aim is
to give a clear description of the rich poetic tradition of early
Scandinavia, particularly in Iceland, where it reached its zenith, and
to demonstrate the social contexts that favoured poetic composition,
from the oral societies of the early Viking Age in Norway and its
colonies to the devout compositions of literate Christian clerics in
fourteenth-century Iceland. The author analyses the two dominant
poetic modes, Eddic and skaldic, giving fresh examples of their
various styles and subjects; looks at the prose contexts in which most
Old Norse poetry has been preserved; and discusses problems of
interpretation that arise because of the poetry's mode of
transmission. She is concerned throughout to link indigenous theory
with practice, beginning with the pre-Christian ideology of poets
favoured by the god Odin and concluding with the Christian notion that
a plain style best conveys the poet's message.
A History of
Old Norse Poetry & Poetics Author: Margaret Clunies Ross ; 296 pages
ISBN: 1843840340,
Boydell &
Brewer Ltd
http://www.boydell.co.uk/43840340.HTM
****
Rating 4 Stars
 A particular, recurring feature of Old Norse myths
and legends is an encounter between creatures of This World [gods and
human beings] and those of the Other [giants, giantesses, dwarves,
prophetesses, monsters and the dead]. Concentrating on cross-gendered
encounters, this book analyses these meetings, and the different
motifs and situations they encompass, from the consultation of a
prophetess by a king or god, to sexual liaisons and return from the
dead. It considers the evidence for their pre-Christian origins,
discusses how far individual poets and prose writers were free to
modify them, and suggests that they survived in medieval Christian
society because [like folk-tale] they provide a non-dogmatic way of
resolving social and psychological problems connected with growing up,
succession from one generation to the next, sexual relationships and
bereavement.
ISBN: 1843840421,
Boydell & Brewer Ltd
Meeting the Other in Norse Myth and
Legend : John McKinnell; 304
pages
http://www.boydell.co.uk/43840421.HTM
****
Rating 4 Stars
I had high
hopes for this book, which describes itself as "exploring the magic
and mystery of the middle ages, J. R. R. Tolkien, and
The Lord of the Rings.
I settled down to read it with expectations that, alas, were dashed
almost immediately upon opening it. This is a truly idiotic book.
(If you're curious about Tolkien's authentically medieval
inspiration for his imaginative constructs, then you might want to
skip to the end of this review where I offer some suggestions about
good books to read regarding the relationships between medieval
literatures, myths, and cultures, and Tolkien's Middle-earth.) The
book opens with a map of Western Europe, and includes some black and
white photographs of places and artifacts. There is an index, though
the book lacks end-notes, or a bibliography. The last few pages are
a listing of sources, organized by chapters. Bates seems to lump the
good in with the bad, and, unfortunately, relies almost exclusively
on translations and secondary sources, many of which are less than
scholarly.
Brian Bates, The
Real Middle-earth (Palgrave MacMillan, 2003)
ISBN:
0330491709
http://www.greenmanreview.com/book/book_bates_realmiddleearth.html
**
Rating 2 Stars
This major
survey of Old Norse-Icelandic literature and culture comprises 29
chapters written by leading scholars in the field, over a third of
whom are Icelanders. At the same time, it conveys a sense of the
mainland Scandinavian origins of the Icelandic people, and reflects
the ongoing contact between Iceland
and other countries and cultures. The volume highlights current
debates among Old Norse-Icelandic scholars specializing in different
aspects of the subject. Coverage of traditional topics is complemented
by material on previously neglected areas of study, such as the sagas
of Icelandic bishops and the translated knights' sagas. Chapters on
'archaeology', 'social institutions' and 'geography and travel' make
it possible to view the literature in its wider cultural context while
chapters on 'reception' and 'continuity' demonstrate the ways in which
medieval Norse-Icelandic literature and culture overflow into the
modern period.
A Companion to Old
Norse-Icelandic Literature & Culture; Rory McTurk 566 pages
ISBN:
0631235027, Blackwell Publishing
http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/book.asp?ref=0631235027
****
Rating 4 Stars
This volume contains English
translations of a number of articles that have been published over
the years by Jón Hnefill Ašalsteinsson, professor of Folkloristics
at the University of Iceland. The articles, which are now
accompanied by additional notes and in-formation, cover a wide range
of material concerning the Old Norse religion and Icelandic folk
beliefs. Here one finds discussion of the nature of the mythological
wind giant, Hręsvelgr; the role of sacrifice at legal gatherings;
the presentation of pagan myths and religious customs in the
medieval sagas recorded by Christians; the way that the images of
giants and elves have altered over time in the popular accounts in
Iceland; and the way in which oral tradition has transformed
accounts of actual events into traditional ghost stories.
A Piece of Horse Liver;
Myth, Ritual and Folklore in
Old Icelandic Sources (Paperback)
by
Jon Hnefill Adalsteinsson,
Terry Gunnell (Translator),
Joan Turville-Petre
(Translator)
University of Iceland Pr (December 1,
1998)
ISBN: 9979542640
****
Rating 4 Stars
The English Warrior: From Earliest Times to 1066
(Paperback) 272 pages, Publisher Anglo-Saxon Books
by Stephen Pollington
ISBN:
1898281106
 One
clarification needs repeating: this book is about the Anglo-Saxon
military experience, from their early (mythic) raids and use as
mercenaries, up to 1066. For those interested in the Anglo-Saxon way
of war, I think this book would be very valuable. It is divided into
three parts: the warrior in society, his weapons, and military
strategy and tactics. The first part deals with the warrior's
relationship to his lord, dueling, the gods of warriors (Woden and
Thor, particularly), shield-maidens, berserkers, and so on. The second
part will be especially interesting to reenactors and the like.
Pollington has gathered and summarized a lot of technical data from
various sources. His discussion of the sword is not very long (14
pages), but he discusses the spear (10 pages), the axe (3), the
shield, (9), as well as seax, helmet, armor, the bow, and oddities.
The later include the hammer and the "staff-sword", which seems to be
a slashing spear like the Norse `hoggspjot'. In his discussion of the
spear, he cites Swanton's typology in toto, all 30-odd types, with
lengths and descriptions of each type, and illustrations of many of
them.
One item I found entirely new to me was the
"corrugated" cross-section of spearheads; the flattened-diamond ones
and lenticular (lens-shaped) ones were familiar, but some late spears
had a cross-section like a diamond with only two surfaces
hollow-ground, or like a sheet of metal folded, then folded back to
leave a ridge in the middle: the result resembles a Nazi SS
lightening-bolt insignia more than anything else. There is a
classification of shield bosses, and where each type was popular -
lots of useful data in one handy volume. The section on warfare is
well done too. Pollington discusses tactics and strategy, the use of
horses and fortifications and so on.
Some noteworthy features of this book: there are
lots of quotes, and excellent line drawings of artwork, archeological
finds and the like. All
the quotes are given in the original (mostly Old English, some Old
Norse) as well as his own translations. Pollington has also written a
couple of books on learning Old English, so I am inclined to trust his
translations. ]Beowulf is well represented, also the Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle, but a lot of more obscure texts as well. For practitioners
of Western Martial Arts, rest easy. One of credits goes to Terry Brown
of English MartialArts, so the statements on the use of weapons have
been vetted by an experienced teacher in their use. The piece de
resistance, however, is the three appendices. These are the full texts
of the three great OE military poems, in parallel translation: the
battles of Finnsburh, Brunanburh, and Maldon.
I recommend this work highly. It compliments Davidson's The Sword
in Anglo-Saxon England, dealing with many other weapons, and both
social and military matters, as well as having lots of illustrations.
It fits opposite Paddy Griffith's Viking Way of War, dealing with
defense against the Vikings, and has technical and personal matters
Griffith omits.
****
Rating 4 Stars
A History of the Vikings
by Gwynn Jones
Paperback
30 November, 1983
Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0192801341
An utterly splendid book, quite the most
brilliantly written, balanced, and explanative general work on the
Vikings ever to appear in English or in any language.' Scandinavian
Studies The subject of this book is the Viking realms, Denmark,
Sweden, and Norway, their civilization and culture, and their many
sided achievements at home and abroad. A highly readable narrative
follows the development of these Northern peoples - the Nordmenn -
from their origins and the legendary pre-history to the military
triumphs of Canute and the defeat of Harald Hardradi at Stamford
Bridge in 1066, which symbolically ended the Viking age. The book
recounts the Vikings' exploits in war, trade, and colonization: the
assault on Western Christendom; the trading and military ventures to
the Slav and Muslim worlds and to Byzantium; and the western voyages
of discovery and settlement to Greenland, Iceland, and America.
Numerous photographs, maps, and drawings contribute to Gwyn Jones's
rounded portrait of Viking civilization and vividly evoke the
importance in their culture of religion, art, and seafaring.
Jones presents a nearly overwhelming amount of
detail on the far-flung history of the Vikings, from tribal origins in
Scandinavia to their voyages of conquest and trade as far afield as
Constantinople and Newfoundland. When historical information is scant
or doubtful, Jones fleshes out the book with rewarding studies on
Viking culture, language, and society; including a refreshingly
understated examination of Norse mythology. We learn that sometimes
the Vikings really did deserve their reputation as bloodthirsty
marauders, but at the core they were very pragmatic empire builders
who were usually able to blend into the societies they conquered,
especially in Russia and Britain, thus disappearing as a distinct
group and enriching the cultures of those other lands. The most
fascinating portion of the book concerns the Viking exploration of the
new world (including the harsh Iceland and Greenland) a good 500 years
before Columbus. Jones also pulls out a surprise at the end of the
saga with the indirect Norwegian influence on the Norman conquest of
England in 1066, while the Normans had once been Vikings themselves.
****
Rating 4 Stars
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