Essays on Eddic Poetry

"The articles in Essays on Eddic Poetry are important works, both for what they achieve and as guides and surveys of contemporary Eddic scholarship." -- Thomas D. Hill, Department of English, Cornell University "Donata Kick and John D. Shafer have done us a great favor by assembling John McKinnell's work on Eddic poetry in one, easily accessible volume. Updated and revised, the essays remain classic statements on their subject matter." -- Robert Bjork, Department of English, Arizona State University

Originally published between 1988 and 2008, these twelve essays cover a wide range of mythological and heroic poems and have been revised and updated to reflect the latest scholarship.

Essays on Eddic Poetry presents a selection of important articles on Old Norse literature by noted medievalist John McKinnell. While McKinnell’s work addresses many of the perennial issues in the study of Old Norse, this collection has a special focus on the interplay between heathen and Christian world-views in the poems.

Among the texts examined are Hávamál, which includes an elegantly cynical poem about Óðinn’s sexual intrigues and a more mystical one about his self-sacrifice on the world-tree in order to gain magical wisdom; Vǫlundarkviða, which recounts an elvish smith’s revenge for his captivity and maiming; and Hervararkviða, where the heroine bravely but foolishly raises her dead father to demand the deadly sword Tyrfingr from him.

Originally published between 1988 and 2008, these twelve essays cover a wide range of mythological and heroic poems and have been revised and updated to reflect the latest scholarship.