The poetics of commemoration: skaldic verse and social memory, c. 890-1070.

The poetics of commemoration: skaldic verse and social memory, c. 890-1070

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ISBN details

  • ISBN 10: 0198745745
  • ISBN 13: 9780198745747


Overview

The Poetics of Commemoration is a study of the role poetry played in the commemoration of kings during the Viking Age. From the strange and supernatural deaths described in the poem Ynglingatal, to the depiction of kings entering the pagan afterlife of Valhalla in Eiríksmál and Hákonarmál, it becomes clear that poets sometimes responded to the deaths of kings in a creative and even playful manner. In contrast, memorial poemscomposed for the great Norwegian kings Óláfr Tryggvason and Óláfr Haraldsson record poets' highly emotional reactions to the loss of their lords. This book investigates the variety of ways in which poets responded to the death of a king,and how poetry helped to constructed a shared memory and identity for the community he left behind.

Other Details

  • Publisher: Oxford University Press
  • Language: Eng English
  • Format: print
  • Edition: 1
  • Dimensions: 194 pages ; 23 cm.
  • Authors: Goeres, Erin Michelle , 1982-