Primarily intended as a text book on the traditional poetry of the vikings this version also contains the most complete survey extant of the mythology of pagan Scandinavia.
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Text: English, Icelandic (translation)
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
213 of 216 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good, but not for dilettantes,
By A Customer
This review is from: Edda (Everyman's Library) (Paperback)
There are two chief sources for the Norse myths, the Elder (Poetic) Edda and the Younger (Prose) Edda. This is a translation of the Prose Edda and includes the creation of the earth from the remains of the giant Ymir, the death of Baldr, the twilight of the gods (Ragnarök), and certain stories of Sigurd and Brynhild (Siegfried and Brünnhilde in Wagner's operas). Most translations include only the parts that are "of interest to the general reader", but this one is complete, so you can make your own judgment about which parts to read and which to skip. The translation is solid, though perhaps a little flat at times, and the price is right. Definitely for those with more than a passing interest in Norse mythology, though; if you just want to read the stories without bothering about the literary sources, you might be better off with a retelling, e.g. Favorite Norse Myths by Mary Pope Osborne.
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The current standard English edition of the Prose Edda,
This review is from: Edda (Everyman's Library) (Paperback)
This is Anthony Faulkes's acclaimed translation of what is now more commonly (and specifically) known as the Prose Edda. This translation has some features going for it from the onset that other English language translations of the Prose Edda do not; it includes the books Skáldskaparmál and Háttatal, which most translations lack. For example, the most recent major translation of the Prose Edda (Jesse Byock's translation) features a butchered and very simplified version of these two books. These two books are immensely important for the ancient skaldic lays, kennings, and lists they contain, and as one interested in these subjects, you cannot do without them.
For those unaware, the Prose Edda consists of four books. Of these books, the best known is Gylfaginning, which presents quite a lot of Norse lore in a prose-based question-answer format. For those of you who have this translation, you may be interested in Faulkes' extensive and enlightening translation notes, freely available online, plus many other interesting (and free) Viking Society PDF articles and essays: [...]
56 of 63 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Captures the wonderful dry humor!,
By
This review is from: Edda (Everyman's Library) (Paperback)
I agree with the review from 1998, and wanted to add that this translation really captures the dry humor in Sturluson's Edda. The Scandanavians (myself included) have wonderful dry humor, and Norse mythology is full of it as well. This is an excellent translation that does not lose the essence of the Edda.
But, like the reviewer before me recommended, do not buy this translation if you're looking for an easy-to-read story book, because Sturluson's Edda was never that. It is the primary resource that Norse mythology writers use to tell their tales of the Norse heroes and gods. Most excellent for academic purposes or Norse mythology fanatics like me! Also, I recommend Norse mythology over Greek or Roman any day. The Norse aren't whiny and annoying like the poor saps in Greek and Roman mythology.
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