Review (PDF) Edda (Everyman's Library)
But the king's heart swells, bulging with courage in battle, where heroes sink down... Over a period of twenty years Snorri Sturluson, scholar, courtier and poet, compiled the prose Edda as a textbook for young poets who wished to praise kings. His work surveys the content, style and metres of traditional Viking poetry and includes a lengthy poem of Snorrie's own, praising the king of Norway. Ironically, Snorri was killed in his own cellar in Iceland in 1241 on the instigation of the king of Norway, as a result of political intrigue.The Edda contains the most extensive account of Norse myths and legends that has survived from the Middle Ages as well as the popular stories of Odin winning back the mead of poetic inspiration and Thor fishing for the Midgard serpent.
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Everyman Paperback; Reissue edition (April 6, 1995)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0460876163
ISBN-13: 978-0460876162
Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.9 x 7.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #18,504 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #6 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Poetry > Regional & Cultural > European > Norse & Icelandic Sagas #26 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Poetry > Ancient, Classical & Medieval > Ancient & Classical #44 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Social Sciences > Folklore & Mythology
There are two chief sources for the Norse myths, the Elder (Poetic) Edda and the Younger (Prose) Edda. This is a translation of the Prose Edda and includes the creation of the earth from the remains of the giant Ymir, the death of Baldr, the twilight of the gods (Ragnarök), and certain stories of Sigurd and Brynhild (Siegfried and Brünnhilde in Wagner's operas). Most translations include only the parts that are "of interest to the general reader", but this one is complete, so you can make your own judgment about which parts to read and which to skip. The translation is solid, though perhaps a little flat at times, and the price is right. Definitely for those with more than a passing interest in Norse mythology, though; if you just want to read the stories without bothering about the literary sources, you might be better off with a retelling, e.g. Favorite Norse Myths by Mary Pope Osborne.
I agree with the review from 1998, and wanted to add that this translation really captures the dry humor in Sturluson's Edda. The Scandanavians (myself included) have wonderful dry humor, and Norse mythology is full of it as well. This is an excellent translation that does not lose the essence of the Edda.But, like the reviewer before me recommended, do not buy this translation if you're looking for an easy-to-read story book, because Sturluson's Edda was never that. It is the primary resource that Norse mythology writers use to tell their tales of the Norse heroes and gods. Most excellent for academic purposes or Norse mythology fanatics like me! Also, I recommend Norse mythology over Greek or Roman any day. The Norse aren't whiny and annoying like the poor saps in Greek and Roman mythology.
For students of Norse mythology and Skaldic, Snorri's "Edda" is an important sourcebook. With a few exceptions, I think that the author did a good job of allowing a useful rendition of this 13th centory handbook.Snorri wrote "Edda" as a handbook to understanding Skaldic poetics. The title may refer to the fact that by Snorri's day, "Edda" (literally "Grandmother") was seen as a label for "poetics."Snorri's work is in three parts: Gylfaginning which is an introduction to Norse myth, Skaldskaparmal, which is an introduction to the poetic language of kennings and similar verbal formulas, and Hattatal which is an introduction to skaldic forms. Most editions do not include Hattatal, since most people are only interested in the mythic aspects. The inclusion of Hattatal makes this version particularly useful.The work is well translated, though there are two areas where some improvement could have been made. The first is that the original chapter headings are omitted, so it is impossible to know for sure what chapter of Gylfaginning a specific reference is found in, and the same goes for Skaldskaparmal.A second thing that would be helpful would have been the inclusion of the Icelandic original when verses are quoted. I do not think it is feasible to translate skaldic verse forms out of Icelandic, so the translation as prose doesn't bother me. However, having the original source would allow a feel for what the original impact was. Note that this is the approach taken in Hattatal and it would have been nicer to see it throughout the whole book.All in all, I would recommend this edition to any student of Norse myth or Skaldic poetry, though other editions might be useful in a supplemental role for the reasons noted above.
Anthony Faulkes translation. I bought this edition for the Skaldsparmal/Hattatal, not always translated in this Edda. This particular edition (purchased used) was in excellent condition (as described +1, I'd say), promptly dispatched, and an excellent value for money over-all. Aces all 'round!!
I absolutely loved this book because of the historical information it contained about Odin and the Scandinavian people at that time, which I haven't found anywhere else. In the Foreword to the Edda, it explains how Odin and his wife were powerful sorcerers. Consulting their oracles, they learned that if they traveled to the North Odin's name would be held high, and they would be worshiped beyond kings. Wherever they went, much fame was said about them and they were thought to be more like gods than men. The Norse gods were actually a gang coming with Odin to the North from Turkey. They had advanced methods to work with metals and make advanced swords, as they were veterans of the Trojan (:-o) war. According to Snorri, most of the mythological stories are similar to the Iliad.This Book is a very valuable insight for those of us with 99% Scandinavian DNA, but maybe a 1% DNA from central Asia. However, if you are just looking for an easy way to read of the Edda, there are probably easier versions out there.
I do not read medieval Nordic languages, so I can't attest to the accuracy of this translation. The fact that so many scholars verify the quality of the translation is good enough for me.I am a writer reading ancient Northern European literature as research for a novel, so I am particularly interested in the completeness and tone of the translation. It certainly includes more of Snorri Sturluson's work than two other editions I've read, as well as a fine glossary and list of resources--very appreciated. But what intrigues me about this edition is the "feel" of it. It is poetic in an old sense. These are not modern voices talking. I like that.I bought this book because a friend recommended its version of Gylfaginning (the duping of Gylfi). When I finished that section and reached the Skaldskaparmal (a treatise on the language of poetry), I was tempted to skip over the latter. I am so glad I didn't. In high school and in college, I had leaned a small bit about kennings (see [...]), which are word-pairings that creatively allude to familiar concepts in Nordic mythology. Beowulf is full of kennings. I thought I knew a lot about the subject.Wrong. The Skaldskaparmal can be a tough read, especially in the way the author square-brackets the meanings of kennings in the midst of passages, but I guarantee you'll get an authentic insight into how complex, creative, and intelligent these mead-drinking, sword-swinging ancestors of ours thought about the world and their gods and heroes.Snori , There seems no attempt to compromise (modernize) to please a 21st Century audience. The language constructions are very true to the times, although they often require It includes of the translation book, ut I read a great deal of medieval literature (in translation) and can attest to the accuracy of the tone.
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