Old Norse–Icelandic Literature: A Short Introduction

From runic inscriptions to sagas, this book introduces readers to the colourful world of Old Norse–Icelandic literature. It covers not only mythology and family sagas, but also looks at less well–known areas, such as oral story–telling, Eddaic verse and skaldic verse. An introduction describing the language and culture of the first settlers in Iceland helps readers to appreciate the background against which this literature was produced.

The book acts as an introduction not only to Old–Norse Icelandic literature, but also to its reception through the ages and its influence on literature written in English. The author shows how a whole range of authors from Chaucer to Seamus Heaney have been influenced by this body of work, pointing out that even King Lear and Hamlet appear in Old Norse texts.

Chronology.

Preface.

1. Iceland.

The Beginnings.

Language.

Cultural Heritage.

Discovery and Settlement.

2. The Saga.

What Is a Saga?.

Are Family Sagas Medieval Novels?.

Are Family Sagas Chronicles of Times Past?.

Three Extracts: Egils saga, Vatnsd la saga and Laxd la saga.

3. New Knowledge and Native Traditions.

Latin Learning.

Eddaic and Skaldic Verse.

Historical Writings.

Fornaldarsögur.

Riddarasögur and Rímur.

4. The Politics of Old Norse–Icelandic Literature.

Iceland and Scandinavian Nationalism.

Old Norse–Icelandic as Ancient Poetry .

Bishop Percy s Translations.

Gray s Norse Odes .

The Romantic Viking.

Our Friends in the North.

Old Norse–Icelandic Studies in Academia.

The Debate about Saga Origins.

Why is Old Norse English Literature?.

Old Norse–Icelandic and English Medieval Literature.

5. The Influence of Old Norse–Icelandic Literature.

BlakeTolkien and Fantasy Literature.

Scott, Kingsley and Haggard.

Landor, Arnold and Morris.

Stevenson, Hardy and Galsworthy.

MacDiarmid, Mackay Brown, and Auden and MacNeice.

Heaney and Muldoon.

Appendix: Hrafnkell s Saga.

Glossary.

Notes.

Bibliography.

Index