What is the best modern english translation of the prose and. While his translation could more accurately be described as snippets from the prose edda, andersons edition represents the first step toward a full english language translation of the book on this, anderson says, the present volume contains all of the younger edda that can possibly be any importance to english readers, p. Arranged in three parts, the prose edda is an exposition of the rules of poetic diction with many examples, applications, and retellings of myths and legends. Jan 31, 2006 snorris prose edda was written in response to these new trends as a handbook for those aspiring icelandic skalds poets who wanted to master the traditional forms of verse and the older stories essential to the imagery of old norse poetry xi. The second part of the prose edda is called the skaldskaparmal and the third hattatal. Also contains the original old norse text, side by side with english translations. The prose edda, also known as the younger edda, snorris edda icelandic. The prose edda snorri sturluson audiobook and ebook all. Prose edda is a work without predecessor or parallel. May 22, 2011 translations are very scarce and typically come from only a couple sources. The prose edda audio book norse mythology brodeur translation younger edda snorri sturleson 1178 1241, translated by arthur gilchrist brodeur 1888. The prose edda is a text on old norse poetics, written about 1200 by the icelandic poet and politican snorri sturlson, who also wrote the heimskringla. The prose edda and poetic edda have some stories in common but generally its better to read the prose first. Get the authenticity and truthful ness of the stories without having to worry about the complexity of older academic translations.
Snorra edda or, historically, simply as edda, is an old norse work of. The prose edda, by snorri sturleson full length audibook. The prose edda is the most renowned of all works of scandinavian literature and our most extensive source for norse mythology. The prose eddas stories were based on the oral tradition from the viking golden age 800. We are now in a position to see the purpose and the artistic unity of the prose edda. A frame storydriven narrative consisting primarily of dialogue. Click download or read online button to get the prose edda norse mythology book now. There are satisfactory translations in norwegian and swedish probably more so than in english.
English source for the brodeur translation sections prolgue to skaldskaparmal and abbreviations comes from. The prose edda translated with an introduction, notes, and vocabulary by rasmus b. Gylfaginning, or the tricking of gylfi, is the first part of snorri sturlusons prose edda. Andersons english language translation titled the younger edda 1879, available in the public domain. It is an exposition of the rule of poetic diction with many examples, applications, and retellings of myths and legends. Loosed in translation which translation is best poetic. The bellows translation is free but certainly not the best. The first indepth survey of english translations of the prose edda, a primary source for. The prose edda, by snorri sturleson full length audibook also known as the younger edda or snorris edda, the prose edda is a threepart work composed or at least compiled by thirteenthcentury.
The second book, gylfaginning, old icelandic for the tricking of gylfi. Old norse source for the prose edda comes from heimskringla. The first part of the prose edda is the gylfaginning the tricking of gylfi, dealing with the creation of the world and the major elements of norse mythology. He was the author of the prose edda or younger edda, which consists of gylfaginning the fooling of gylfi, a narrative of norse mythology, the skaldskaparmal, a book of poetic language, and the hattatal, a list of verse. Prose edda project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. The the prose edda community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. The younger edda, also known as snorres edda, or the prose edda, is a collection of old norse poems preserved by snorri sturluson 11791241. As a neophyte coming to the prose edda, however, this translation was clear i downloaded a second translation for places where i might get stuck, but didnt really need it in this case. A similar combination of scholarly and imaginative talent is seen in the prose edda c.
The work is often assumed to have been written, or at least compiled, by the icelandic scholar, lawspeaker, and historian snorri sturluson c. Gylfaginning deals with the creation and destruction of the world of the nordic gods, and many other aspects of norse mythology. The first part is the gylfaginning, the deluding of gylfi, a guide to mythology that forms one of the great story books of the middle ages. The prose edda forms the basis of what the world knows as norse mythology, and contains legends of the creation of the cosmos and the bestknown stories of odin, thor, and the other gods. He was also the author of the heimskringla, a history of the. According to the ragnarok prophecies in snorri sturlusons gylfaginning, the first part of his prose edda, the sons of muspell will break the bifrost bridge, signaling the end of times.
Anthony faulkes, copenhagen 1985 early icelandic manuscripts in facsimile xv. He was elected twice as lawspeaker at the icelandic parliament, the althing. He was the author of the prose edda or younger edda, which consists of gylfaginning the fooling of gylfi, a narrative of norse mythology, the skaldskaparmal, a book of poetic language, and the hattatal, a list of verse forms. Snorris prose edda was written in response to these new trends as a handbook for those aspiring icelandic skalds poets who wanted to master the traditional forms of verse and the older stories essential to the imagery of old norse poetry xi. Faulkes in his english translation of the prose edda commented that this is unlikely, both in terms of.
The etymology of muspelheim is uncertain, but may come from mundspilli, worlddestroyers, wreck of the world. A big plus is the fact that the book contains both the original names of characters in old icelandic, and a translation in english. The first part of the prose edda is the gylfaginning the tricking of gylfi, dealing with the. The prose edda contains a wide variety of lore which a skald poet of the time would need to know. It was designed as a handbook for poets to compose in the style of the skalds of the viking ages. The prose edda of snorri sturlson translated by arthur gilchrist brodeur 1916 the prose edda is a text on old norse poetics, written about 1200 by the norwegian poet and politican snorri sturlson, who also wrote the heimskringla. The prose edda, volume 5 volume 5 of scandinavian classics the prose edda, arthur gilchrist brodeur. The first translation of the prose edda was published at copenhagen in 1665, when the complete text appeared, with latin and danish interpretation. The section is written in prose interspersed with quotes from skaldic poetry, including material collected in the poetic edda. The poetic edda, also known as the elder edda, is a collection of thirtyfour icelandic poems, interwoven with prose, dating from the 9th century to the 12th.
Snorri sturluson edda prologue and gylfaginning edited by anthony faulkes second edition. The poetic edda the elder edda download ebook pdf, epub. He was the author of the prose edda or younger edda, which consists of gylfaginning the fooling of gylfi, a narrative of norse mythology, the skaldskaparmal. It is told of him that he gave to a wandering woman, in return for her merrymaking, a plowland in his realm, as much as four oxen might turn up in a day and a night. Prose edda brodeur translation by snorri sturleson and. May 02, 2016 the prose edda, by snorri sturleson full length audibook also known as the younger edda or snorris edda, the prose edda is a threepart work composed or at least compiled by thirteenthcentury. Some argue that the word derives from the name of oddi, a town in the south of iceland where snorri was raised. The elder edda is poetry, while the younger edda is mainly prose. Wikipedia article, wikidata item known also as the younger edda or snorris edda is an icelandic manual of poetics which contains many stories from norse mythology. The prose edda by snorri sturluson paperback university. Snorra edda or, historically, simply as edda, is an old norse work of literature written in iceland during the early th century. This is an excellent translation of snorri sturlusons prose edda. The younger edda may in one sense be regarded as the sequel or commentary of the elder edda. The prose edda norse mythology brodeur translation.
Gylfaginning old icelandic the tricking of gylfi 14 follows the prologue in the prose edda. Prose eddagylfaginning wikisource, the free online library. Jul 28, 2005 the prose edda is the most renowned of all works of scandinavian literature and our most extensive source for norse mythology. This illustrated translation has been rewritten using contemporary prose making it a pleasure to read. Gylfaginning prose edda by snorri sturluson gylfaginning old norse pronunciation. The prose edda norse mythology download ebook pdf, epub. The prose edda download pdfepub ebook gets free book. Snorri explains the mythological material by having gylfigangleri ask a question of the. The prose edda s stories were based on the oral tradition from the viking golden age 800. Written in iceland a century after the close of the viking age, it tells ancient stories of the norse creation epic and recounts the battles that follow as gods, giants, dwarves and elves struggle for survival. Faulkes in his english translation of the prose edda. The gylfaginning deals with the creation and destruction of the world of the norse gods, and many other aspects of norse mythology.
The younger edda contains the systematized theogony and cosmogony of our forefathers, while the elder edda presents the odinic faith in a 28 series of lays or rhapsodies. Jan, 2018 the prose edda audio book norse mythology brodeur translation younger edda snorri sturleson 1178 1241, translated by arthur gilchrist brodeur 1888 1971 also known as the younger edda. Much like the arabian nights, there is an outer framework within which the tales are told, first as an exchange of wisdom, then as illustrations in how edda. Snorra edda or simply edda, is an old norse work of literature written in iceland in the early th century. King gylfi ruled the land that men now call sweden. This is why the first section of the prose edda is called the deluding of gylfi or, in old norse, gylfaginning. I would recommend reading the byock translation of the prose edda first, then the byock translation of the volsunga saga, then the poetic edda. What are the best translations of the prose edda by snorri. The english translation chosen for the prose edda is by arthur gilchrist brodeur, from a 1916 publication that is now in public domain. Voluspa norse and germanic lore site with old norse. Gylfaginning deals with the creation and destruction of the world of the. Soundeffect the prose edda brodeur translation by snorri sturleson. The illuminated edda contains a brandnew translation of the poetic and prose eddas by andrew valkauskas.
Translations are very scarce and typically come from only a couple sources. Its debatable which of the two is better, but andy orchards new translation and the slightly older one by carolyne larrington are among the best english versions for the poetic edda. A large part of what we know about nordic mythology stems from his edda. The second part, skaldskaparmal, presented as a dialogue between. Jan 10, 2019 gylfaginning, or the tricking of gylfi, is the first part of snorri sturlusons prose edda. The first part of the prose edda is the gylfaginning the tricking of.
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