Sign-In
Cart
Baldr: The Origins and History of the Famous Norse God Whose Death Leads to Ragnarok
Paperback
Please select the version of book you would like to purchase.
ISBN10: 1981954015
ISBN13: 9781981954018
Publisher: Createspace
Published: Dec 22 2017
Pages: 56
Weight: 0.19
Height: 0.12 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
ISBN13: 9781981954018
Publisher: Createspace
Published: Dec 22 2017
Pages: 56
Weight: 0.19
Height: 0.12 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
*Includes pictures
*Includes medieval accounts
*Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading
Much of what is known of the Norse myths comes from the 10th century onwards. Until this time and, indeed, for centuries afterwards, Norse culture (particularly that of Iceland, where the myths were eventually transcribed) was an oral culture. In fact, in all Scandinavian countries well into the thirteenth century laws were memorized by officials known as Lawspeakers who recited them at the Thing. The Thing was the legislative assembly in Scandinavia held for judicial purposes.
*Includes medieval accounts
*Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading
Much of what is known of the Norse myths comes from the 10th century onwards. Until this time and, indeed, for centuries afterwards, Norse culture (particularly that of Iceland, where the myths were eventually transcribed) was an oral culture. In fact, in all Scandinavian countries well into the thirteenth century laws were memorized by officials known as Lawspeakers who recited them at the Thing. The Thing was the legislative assembly in Scandinavia held for judicial purposes.
One of the most famous of these Lawspeakers was the Icelander Snorri Sturluson, a masterful writer who wrote the Prose Edda in the thirteenth century. There are other sources for the Norse myths, namely the later Poetic Edda, a collection of poems and prose work, and other sagas but the Snorri's Prose Edda is the most complete work whose attribution is known to modern scholars.
It is believed that Snorri, a Christian, recorded these pagan beliefs so as to preserve and explain the stylistic poetry of Iceland, particularly the popular descriptive devices known as kennings. A kenning is made up of a base word and a modifying word that is used to describe a separate object. For example, Gold had a great many kennings, one of which was Sif's Hair. If, however, the memory of Loki cutting off Sif's hair and replacing it with gold were lost, then this kenning would make no sense to later readers. There are many of these allusions to the myths and it is thanks to them that the myths have survived.
The Norse Myths also appear to follow a chronological narrative, which the historian John Lindow describes as having a Mythical Past, Present and Future. Loki features in each of these literary epochs and it helps to understand the complexity of his character, as well as the belief system, to view the myths in this way.
Baldr: The Origins and History of the Famous Norse God Whose Death Leads to Ragnarok looks at the story and the legendary Norse deity. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about Baldr like never before.
It is believed that Snorri, a Christian, recorded these pagan beliefs so as to preserve and explain the stylistic poetry of Iceland, particularly the popular descriptive devices known as kennings. A kenning is made up of a base word and a modifying word that is used to describe a separate object. For example, Gold had a great many kennings, one of which was Sif's Hair. If, however, the memory of Loki cutting off Sif's hair and replacing it with gold were lost, then this kenning would make no sense to later readers. There are many of these allusions to the myths and it is thanks to them that the myths have survived.
The Norse Myths also appear to follow a chronological narrative, which the historian John Lindow describes as having a Mythical Past, Present and Future. Loki features in each of these literary epochs and it helps to understand the complexity of his character, as well as the belief system, to view the myths in this way.
Baldr: The Origins and History of the Famous Norse God Whose Death Leads to Ragnarok looks at the story and the legendary Norse deity. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about Baldr like never before.
1 different editions
Also available
Baldr: The Origins and History of the Famous Norse God Whose Death Leads to Ragnarok
Scott, Andrew
Charles River
Paperback
$13.37
Also in
General Fiction
Elizabeth Spencer: Novels & Stories (Loa #344): The Voice at the Back Door / The Light in the Piazza / Knights and Dragons / Stories
Spencer, Elizabeth
Hardcover
$38.00
Anniversaries, Volume 2: From a Year in the Life of Gesine Cresspahl, April 1968-August 1968
Johnson, Uwe
Paperback
From $14.99
Philip Roth: Novels 1973-1977 (Loa #165): The Great American Novel / My Life as a Man / The Professor of Desire
Roth, Philip
Hardcover
From $17.99
John Updike: Novels 1978-1984 (Loa #339): The Coup / Rabbit Is Rich / The Witches of Eastwick
Updike, John
Hardcover
$42.75
Selected Writings: Robert Musil: Young Torless, Three Women, the Perfecting of a Love, and Other Writings
Musil, Robert
Agee, Joel
Paperback
$79.43