Scandinavian history in the Viking age - Department of Anglo-Saxon ...

Scandinavian History in the Viking Age
Poole, ‘Verses and prose in Gunnlaugs saga ormstungu’, Sagas of the Icelanders: a book of essays,
Garland reference library of the humanities 758, ed. J. Tucker (1989), 160-84 [UL 752:37.c.95.34]
[B535] Other minor poets for earl Hakon include Goþþorm (B510):61-63, Glúm (B510):75-78,
Kormák (B510):79-91, and Tind (B510):144-47
Less verse is preserved from the court of Hakon’s successor Erik:
[B536] Eyjólf dáðaskáld is best known as the author of Bandadrápa celebrating many of Erik’s battles.
Text: (B510):200-02. Transl. (B515): II,51-52
[B537] Halldór ókristni is known from his Eiríksflokkr. Text: (B510):202-04
[B538] Þórð Kolbeinsson was responsible for Eiríksdrápa. Text: (B510):212-19. Transl. (B515): II,102-
05, excerpts transl. (B81):334-35
The poets of the Christian kings
Following on from the verse composed for the earls of Lade, the material from the reigns of the early
Christian kings naturally reflects (albeit to varying degrees) a shift in religious emphasis; not only did
some poets eschew the kennings or heiti derived from pagan mythology, but they also employed skaldic
verse to highlight new aspects of kingship that entered Scandinavia, or were developed there, in the
conversion period. A classic study remains:
[B540] W. Lange, Studien zur christlichen Dichtung der Nordgermanen 1000-1200, Palaestra 222 (1958)
[UL 779.c.15.142]
For further studies on the Christianisation of skaldic verse:
[B541] E. Mundal, ‘Kristninga av Noreg og Island reflektert gjennom samtidig skaldedikting’, CM 3
(1990-92), 145-62 (E.s.)
[B542] B. Fidjestøl, ‘Pagan beliefs and Christian impact: the contribution of skaldic studies’, (O72):100-
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[B543] B. Fidjestøl, ‘Skaldic poetry and the conversion, with some reflections on literary form as a
source of historical information’, (O10):133-50
[B544] D. Edwards, ‘Christian and pagan references in eleventh-century Norse poetry: the case of Arnórr
jarlaskáld’, SBVS 21 (1982-85), 34-53
[B545] Darraðarljóð is an anonymous poem found only in Njáls saga (B411); ostensibly on the battle of
Clontarf, many scholars think it fits better with a tenth-century date. Text: (B510):419-21. Transl.:
(B593):72-75; (B493):116-56 with discussion
[B546] Sigvat Þórðarson is one of the most prolific skaldic poets whose work is left to us; he composed
for a series of kings in the first half of the eleventh century. Text: Text: (B510):223-75; J. Halldórsson,
Kvæðakver Sighvats Þórðarsonar (1965) [UL 752:2.d.95.1]. The bulk of his verse was devoted to saint
Olaf Haraldsson: [a] The Víkingavísur chart Olaf’s adventures as a young viking, particularly his
participation in the raids on England in the opening decades of the eleventh century; for text and transl.,
see C. Fell, ‘Víkingavísur’, (O32):106-22, also transl. (B515): II,124-27. [b] Nesjavísur celebrates
Olaf’s consolidation of Norway after victory at the battle of Nesjar around 1016; transl. (B515): II,127-
29. [c] The Austrfararvísur ‘verses on an eastern journey’ relate Sigvat’s adventures on an embassy to
southern Sweden. Transl.: (B515): II,129-33; (B516):151-59; (B1):48-54. Commentary: F. Jónsson,
Austrfararvísur, ADNVAO 1931:1 (1932) [UL 500:01.c.13.2]. [d] The Vestrfararvísur follow Sigvat
into the west and chart his diplomatic dealings with Knut of Denmark on Olaf’s behalf; transl. (B515):
II,133-35; (B81):338-39. [e] Ironically, Sigvat also composed a memorial lay about Knut himself, the
Tøgdrápa or Knútsdrápa; excerpts transl. (B515): II,135-36; (B81):337-38. See the discussion of
Knut’s poets in M. Townend, ‘Contextualizing the Knútsdrápur: skaldic praise-poetry at the court of
Cnut’, ASE 30 (2001), 145-79. Sigvat’s last two significant compositions were both put together in the
reign of Magnus the good, and are both partially retrospective: [f] Firstly, the Erfidrápa (or Ólafsdrápa)
was an elegy for Olaf Haraldsson, that is of great interest in the perspective it gives on the spread of his
cult; transl. (B515): II,138-42; excerpts transl. (B81):332-33. [g] Of even more interest are the
Bers²glisvísur ‘plain-speaking verses’, which criticise Magnus’s overbearing behaviour in the light of
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