Compiled by an unknown scribe in Iceland around 1270, and based on sources dating back centuries earlier, these mythological and heroic poems tell of gods and mortals from an ancient era: the giant-slaying Thor, the doomed Völsung family, the Hel-ride of Brynhild and the cruelty of Atli the Hun. Eclectic, incomplete and fragmented, these verses nevertheless retain their stark beauty and their power to enthrall, opening a window on to the thoughts, beliefs and hopes of the Vikings and their world.
The Elder Edda: A Book of Viking Lore (Penguin Classics)
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About the Author
ANDY ORCHARD is Professor of English and Medieval Studies in the University of Toronto, and since 2007 Provost and Vice-Chancellor of Trinity College. He is the author of The Poetic Art of Aldhelm (1994), Pride and Prodigies: Studies in the Monsters of the 'Beowulf'-Manuscript (2nd edition 2003), The Cassell Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend (3rd edition 2002), and A Critical Companion to 'Beowulf' (2nd edition 2005), as well as editor and co-editor of several collections, scholarly journals and academic series.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By David Ford
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Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
For anyone interested in Norse mythology who wants to explore the original sources (or the closest we have to them, anyway), this text is indispensable. A thirteenth-century Icelandic collection of legends, tales and customs, this translation offers a direct link to the oral traditions of the northern peoples.
The Edda is divided roughly into two sections; the first deals largely with the gods, the Aesir, and their adventures, while the second is primarily concerned with human heroes, largely the long and tragic sequence surrounding Sigurd and Fafnir's gold.
This translation is a really good one, seeming to retain the rythyms and language of the original verses while rendering them into easily comprehensible English. The translator has made notes on any meaning that may still remain obscure, as well as background material that informs the tales. The good thing about the Kindle edition is that that all these notes are hyperlinked, allowing the reader to zip back and forth at will, or simply skim past them if simply reading the poetry.
The poetry itself is anything but flowery, bearing obvious relation to other heroic epics such as Beowulf. The wording is earthy and often violent, as befitting the culture it came from, and the various verses contain some of the finest stories in mythology, as well as interesting lists intended to teach about names and customs. Their origins as spoken tales told to an audience is evident, too, with distinct pacing and often repeated 'choruses' to emphasize certain passages.
All in all, an essential purchase for those of us who love the tales of Thor, Odin and Loki, as well as a fascinating look at a lost world so different from our own. I heartily recommend the younger, or prose, edda as a companion, as well.
The Edda is divided roughly into two sections; the first deals largely with the gods, the Aesir, and their adventures, while the second is primarily concerned with human heroes, largely the long and tragic sequence surrounding Sigurd and Fafnir's gold.
This translation is a really good one, seeming to retain the rythyms and language of the original verses while rendering them into easily comprehensible English. The translator has made notes on any meaning that may still remain obscure, as well as background material that informs the tales. The good thing about the Kindle edition is that that all these notes are hyperlinked, allowing the reader to zip back and forth at will, or simply skim past them if simply reading the poetry.
The poetry itself is anything but flowery, bearing obvious relation to other heroic epics such as Beowulf. The wording is earthy and often violent, as befitting the culture it came from, and the various verses contain some of the finest stories in mythology, as well as interesting lists intended to teach about names and customs. Their origins as spoken tales told to an audience is evident, too, with distinct pacing and often repeated 'choruses' to emphasize certain passages.
All in all, an essential purchase for those of us who love the tales of Thor, Odin and Loki, as well as a fascinating look at a lost world so different from our own. I heartily recommend the younger, or prose, edda as a companion, as well.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
For information, the contents of The Elder Edda (Penguin) and The Poetic Edda (Oxford) are the same, something I only discovered after ordering. The Poetic Edda is the more commonly used title (in conjunction with the Prose Edda by Snorri)so perhaps the Penguin title is slightly misleading for the unwary. Both translations are good and well annotated but you probably don't need to own both.
By Jamie
Format:Paperback
Unlike most translations , i found this an easy read, rather than a lecture where you are being talked down too. Beautiful translation
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
An essential read
This is an essential read for anyone with an interest in Northern European religion, politics, social rules and customs. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Eldri Afinn
5.0 out of 5 stars
Truly a Classic
I went in search of The Elder Edda after viewing YouTube lectures on the meaning of the Viking Sagas, which left me completely inspired. This edition fit the bill perfectly. Read more
Published 4 months ago by blossom
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