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/lit/ - Literature

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19319929 No.19319929 [Reply] [Original]

Recommended sources on old Norse mythology?
As a kid in the 90's I grew up reading a decent collection of stories about Thor and Loki, I think it was a Penguin publication, and was most likely abridged for younger reading ages.
I'm planning to read the LotR trilogy soon and getting heavily into my D&D, so I'm keen to immerse in the historical mythology that inspired these relatively contemporary fictional settings. Any suggestions regarding the fairytale folklore of elves, dwarves, fairies etc in addition to specifically "Norse" material, all appreciated.

>> No.19319936

Prose Edda>poetic edda

>> No.19319948
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19319948

>>19319929

>> No.19319955
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19319955

>>19319936
>>19319948
>>19319936
>Prose Edda
Excellent, thank you anons. I was about to ask for recommended translations.

>> No.19320058

>>19319929
read the eddas
for the prose edda read faulkes translation and for the poetic read jackson crawford's
that covers the major bulk of the myths of the gods
if you want other "famous" stories read the saga of the volsungs and beowulf (maybe the gesta danorum too but that one would be more if you are interested in history not myth)
lastly if you are really serious about learning absolutely everything there is about norse myth then read every single saga available and may god have mercy on your soul

>> No.19320228

>>19320058
Appreciate the rundown
> read every single saga available and may god have mercy on your soul
If it is gods will then it will be done. Have you read every saga? Were you granted mercy?

>> No.19320286

>>19320228
one should be only a little wise, never too wise. A wise man’s heart is seldom glad.

>> No.19320408

>>19320286
wisdom is… le BAD!

>> No.19320424

>>19320058
I'm gonna countersignal Crawford's, go with the Larrington and Bellows. Both are on libgen, and you should use them together because they occasionally translate the poetry in...esoteric...ways.

>> No.19320462

>>19320408
according to odin himself yes, too much of it can be a curse

>> No.19320479

>>19319929
>Poetic Edda: Vǫluspá
>Poetic Edda: Hávamál
>Prose Edda: Gylfaginning
>Prose Edda: Skáldskaparmál
>Ynglinga saga
>Völsunga saga
>Ragnars saga

>> No.19321239

>>19320424
Thanks, I've got pic related on the way
>The Uppsala Edda: Dg 11 4to
>ISBN 9780903521857
Appears to also be available here: http://vsnrweb-publications.org.uk/Uppsala%20Edda.pdf
but I like having hard copies. Haven't looked thoroughly into specific editions of the Poetic yet, although I've seen there are some which have the original Old Norse alongside the English (I've a copy of Dante's Inferno like this, great fun reading the original, interpreting, then comparing results with the translation).
>>19320462
It's true, I don't deny it. Wisdom can indeed be… le BAD!
>>19320479
Is this a suggested reading order? If so, any reason for poetic before prose?