Prose Edda

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This colourful front page of the Prose Edda in an 18th century Icelandic manuscript shows Odin, Heimdallr, Sleipnir and other figures from Norse mythology.
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This colourful front page of the Prose Edda in an 18th century Icelandic manuscript shows Odin, Heimdallr, Sleipnir and other figures from Norse mythology.

The Prose Edda, known also as the Younger Edda or Snorri's Edda is an Icelandic manual of poetics which contains many stories from Norse mythology. Its purpose was to enable Icelandic poets and readers to understand the subtleties of alliterative verse, and to grasp the meaning behind the many kennings that were used in skaldic poetry.

The work was written by the Icelandic scholar and historian Snorri Sturluson around 1220. Seven manuscripts, dating from around 1300 to around 1600, have independent textual value.

The Prose Edda opens with a Prologue and consists of three distinct books: the Gylfaginning (c 20,000 words), the Skáldskaparmál (c 50,000 words) and the Háttatal (c 20,000 words).

See also: Edda, Poetic Edda.

[edit] Reference

  • Edda by Snorri Sturluson, Anthony Faulkes (Translator), Everymans Library, ISBN 0-460-87616-3.

[edit] External links

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Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Norse mythology
List of Norse gods | Æsir | Vanir | Giants | Elves | Dwarves | Valkyries | Einherjar | Norns | Odin | Thor | Freyr | Freyja | Loki | Balder | Tyr | Yggdrasil | Ginnungagap | Ragnarök
Sources: Poetic Edda | Prose Edda | The Sagas | Volsung Cycle | Tyrfing Cycle | Rune stones | Old Norse language | Orthography | Later influence
Society: Viking Age | Skald | Kenning | Blót | Seid | Numbers
The nine worlds of Norse mythology | People, places and things