Old Norse-Icelandic Literature A Short Introduction [Hardcover]

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• An introduction to the colourful world of Old Norse-Icelandic literature.
  
• Covers mythology and family sagas, as well as less well-known areas, such as oral story-telling, Eddaic verse and skaldic verse.
  
• An introduction helps readers to appreciate the language and culture of the first settlers in Iceland.
  
• Looks at the reception of Old-Norse-Icelandic literature over the ages, as views of the vikings have changed.
  
• Shows how a whole range of authors from Shakespeare to Seamus Heaney have been influenced by Old Norse-Icelandic literature.

Chronology.

Preface.

1. Iceland.

The Beginnings.

Language.

Cultural Heritage.

Discovery and Settlement.

2. The Saga.

What Is a Saga?.

Are Family Sagas Medieval Novels?.

Are Family Sagas Chronicles of Times Past?.

Three Extracts: Egils saga, Vatnsdœla saga and Laxdœla saga.

3. New Knowledge and Native Traditions.

Latin Learning.

Eddaic and Skaldic Verse.

Historical Writings.

Fornaldarsögur.

Riddarasögur and Rímur.

4. The Politics of Old Norse-Icelandic Literature.

Iceland and Scandinavian Nationalism.

Old Norse-Icelandic as ‘Ancient Poetrló!