The Nordic Apocalypse: Approaches to Vǫluspá and Nordic Days of Judgement

Description

This book, with roots in a conference held in Iceland in May 2008, contains a series of articles reflecting modern approaches to the text, context, and performance of the Old Norse poem Vǫluspá, perhaps the best known and most discussed of all the Eddic poems. Rather than attempting to cover Eddic or Skaldic poetry as a genre, the main aim of this book is to present an overview of the ‘state of the art’ with regard to one particular Eddic poem. It focuses especially on the poem’s possible context within the apocalyptic tradition of Northern Europe in the early medieval period. The approaches of the articles range from placing the poem within the pre-Christian oral tradition to placing it within the written and liturgical context of Christianity. Two other chapters offer a possible context for the poem by examining the nature and background of the early medieval image of the Apocalypse known to have been on display in the Cathedral of Hólar in northern Iceland. While the approaches are focused on one specific poem, they are nonetheless applicable to many other Eddic works. Front Matter ("Editorial Board", "Title Page", "Copyright Page", "Table of Contents", "Illustrations"), p. i Free Access Plates, p. ix Introduction, p. xiii Pétur Pétursson https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.5.100961 The Early Scholarly Reception of Vǫluspá from Snorri Sturluson to Árni Magnússon, p. 3 Annette Lassen https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.1.100820 Vǫluspá and Time, p. 25 Vésteinn Ólason https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.1.100821 Vǫluspá as the Product of an Oral Tradition: What does that Entail?, p. 45 Gísli Sigurðsson https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.1.100822 Vǫluspá in Performance, p. 63 Terry Gunnell https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.1.100823 Wading Heavy Currents: Snorri’s Use of Vǫluspá 39, p. 79 Henning Kure https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.1.100824 Heathenism in Vǫluspá: A Preliminary Survey, p. 93 John McKinnell https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.1.100825 The Background and Scope of Vǫluspá, p. 113 Kees Samplonius https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.1.100826 Vǫluspá and the Sibylline Oracles with a Focus on the ‘Myth of the Future’, p. 147 Gro Steinsland https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.1.100827 Vǫluspá, the Tiburtine Sibyl, and the Apocalypse in the North, p. 161 Karl G. Johansson https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.1.100828 Manifest and Latent Biblical Themes in Vǫluspá, p. 185 Pétur Pétursson https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.1.100829 A View on the Preservation History of the Last Judgement Panels from Bjarnastaðahlíð, and some Speculation on the Medieval Cathedrals at Hólar, p. 205 Guðrún Harðardóttir https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.1.100830 A Nocturnal Wake at Hólar: The Judgement Day Panels as a Possible Explanation for a Miracle Legend?, p. 221 Þóra Kristjánsdóttir https://doi.org/10.1484/M.AS-EB.1.100831 Back Matter ("Index", "Titles in Preparation"), p. 231