The Edda
The term Edda is used to describe two Icelandic manuscripts that were transcribed and compiled in the 13th century. These two manuscripts are the main source of Norse mythology and skaldic poetry associated with the religion, cosmogony and history of the Norse and proto-Germanic tribes. The Prose Edda (Prose Edda) or Younger Edda (Young Edda) dates from about 1220 and was compiled by Icelandic poet and historian Snorri Sturluson. The Poetic or Elder Edda was written around 1270 by an unknown author.
Snorri Sturluson's work was the first of two manuscripts of the so-called Edda, but researchers doubt exactly how it arrived. Snorri himself did not give the name. The term "Edda" was attributed to Snori's work by a different author in an early 14th-century article, Codex Upsaliensis, which included a copy of Snorri's Edda work. In The Poetry of the Old Northern Tongue, Gudbrand Vigfusson describes the Codex Upsaliensis as follows: "The book that Snorri Sturluson put together in a certain order is called the Edda.
This order is first associated with Æsir and Gylfi." The first use of the word Edda, which has been identified until now, is in the poem Lay of Righ (Háttatal) by Snorri. In this poem, the word "Edda" is used to refer to "great-grandmother." Although there are multiple theories, it can be argued that the term may be related to Snorri's handwriting because a word like great-grandmother carries the breadth of ancient knowledge and wisdom. Another widely accepted theory is that the word "Edda" is associated with the name of the Icelandic City of Oddi where Snorri grew up.
Snorri Sturluson's Edda later became known as the Prose Edda after the addition of prose descriptions to its difficult alliterative prose and symbolism. It seems that Snorri intended the manuscript text as a textbook on skaldic poetry. However, his songs and poems describing mythologies, heroism and wars were most appreciated. Snorri's prose reflected the old courtly poetic styles and held a prominent place among other poets. It was in a position perhaps inaccessible to the next generation of poets; because it was considered by many to be too cryptic and difficult.
Snorri's Edda was later referred to as the "Young Edda" because it was ancient in origin. What this source is consists of comments. While some researchers think that Snorri is largely based on folkloric oral traditions he heard; some researchers think he used an ancient Edda. However, experts agree that Snorri himself added most of the details in the text. As a result, he offers readers an elaborate version of Norse mythology that at times reveals Christian influence.
In 1643, Bishop Brynjólfur Sveinsson, a respected Icelandic collector who has studied numerous works on Scandinavian literature, acquired a copy of an earlier manuscript. Although no researcher knew where it came from or whether it was its original name, it was clear that this newly discovered short and detailed synopsis had some common roots with Snorri's Edda.
Although the bishop attributed this manuscript to the priest and writer Saemundur Sigfússon (1056-1153) and called it Saemundur's Edda, researchers today admit that it is false. Its author or compiler is still unknown. However, Bishop Brynjólfur believed that the work was the Elder Edda. Written entirely in prose, the Elder Edda was later named the Poetic Edda to distinguish it from Snorri's prose.
Today the Eddas are a key to ancient Germanic history. The Eddas, which are a very wide source of mythology, reveal the close relations between humans, gods and nature and the deep respect based on these beliefs.
In 1622, Bishop Brynjólfur sent King Henry III of Denmark to place many of his important literary collections in the new Royal Library. He gave it to Frederick. Among them was the Poetic Edda. The book is known as the Codex Regius (The King's or Royal Book) and was kept in Denmark until it was returned to Iceland in 1971. The Codex Regius is a valuable work of ancient legends and heroic tales that cannot be found elsewhere.
Old copies of the Codex Regius and their once-existing resources have been lost or destroyed. Only 16 of this 90-page work was lost after it went to Denmark. The Poetic Edda differed slightly from the Codex Regius as other poems were added over the years. Many today refer to the oldest King's Book, the Codex Regius of the Poetic Edda; He says it is important to parse it from a different volume, the Codex Regius, which contains a copy of Snorri's Edda and is dated to the first half of the 14th century. The content of any modern Poetic Edda varies and is subject to its author.
