Nordic mythology

This pagan religion is often loosely mentioned in Greek and Roman writings. Most important of those is the account of Germanic religion written by Tacitus (ca 54-117 AD). Later, after the onset of the middle ages, this religion is more often mentioned in French, English and German writing, written in Latin after these nations became Christian. Noteworthy of those is the writings by Adam of Bremen (ca 1044-1080).

Although some knowledge can be gained from these writings, they don’t give any general idea of the Nordic mythology. Only the Nordic nations have preserved the myths about the ancient Gods. From antiquity some stone carving can be found, mainly in Sweden and Denmark. Many of those is believed to be mythological and picture religious ceremonies. From pagan times in the North, nothing can be found in writing except Runic inscriptions on stones and on some of those the gods are invoked.

The mythological lays are not religious poems. They are neither prayers nor praises. They tell stories about the Gods and their affairs. Often the content is introduced in the form of a conversation and remind somehow of a play and often they are quite humorous like Þrymskviða (Lay of Thrym).

Skaldic poetry, (Dróttkvæði) are oral court poetry. The subjects of the Skalds (court poets) were most often contemporary affairs and Shield poems, i.e. descriptions of the mythological engravings on shields. Unlike the Eddaic poetry the Skalds were identified by name and their poems descriptive and subjective. Because the Skalds often praised the feats and affairs of the kings, the poems have some historical value. The Skaldic poetry is difficult to understand because it uses abstruse language, full of heiti (fanciful art words only used in poetry) and kennings, i.e. metaphors and periphrases, that requires a knowledge of the Nordic mythology to be understood. (Back)

Snorri Sturluson (1179-1241) was an Icelandic scholar and a poet. Snorri acquired great wealth and received the best education available in his times. He became a powerful man and a cunning politician. In his historical writings, Snorri used written sources as when available, he also relied on Skaldic poems, some of which were old. Snorri visited Norway twice and Sweden once, and he probably used popular traditions that he heard in both countries.

Some topics in this essay:
Unlike Eddaic, Prose Edda, Beguiling Gylfi, Snorri Sturluson, Words Grimnir, Nordic Mythology, Northern Europe, North Christianity, Adam Bremen, Sweden Denmark, nordic mythology, prose edda, mythological lays, skaldic poetry, nordic nations, skaldic poetry dróttkvæði, various ages, skalds court, poetry skalds, written iceland, pagan religion, tacitus ca 54-117, skalds court poets, ca 54-117 ad, account germanic religion,