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Viking Poems on War and Peace : a Study in Skaldic Narrative by Poole, Russell Gilbert. is a literary studies available to read on EtoBox.

What is Viking Poems on War and Peace : a Study in Skaldic Narrative about?

The Old Norse and Icelandic poets have left us vivid accounts of conflict and peace-making in the Viking Age. Russell G. Poole's editorial and critical analysis reveals much about the texts themselves, the events that they describe, and the culture from which they come. Poole attempts to put right many misunderstandings about the integrity of the texts and their narrative techniques. From a historical perspective, he weighs the poems' authenticity as contemporary documents which provide evidence bearing upon the reconstruction of Viking Age battles, peace negotiations, and other events. He traces the social roles played by violence in medieval Scandinavian society, and explores the many functions of the poet within that society. Arguing that these texts exhibit a mind-style so vastly different from our own present 'individualism,' Poole suggests that the mind-set of the medieval Scandinavian could be termed 'non-individualist.' The poems discussed are the 'Darradarljód,' where the speakers are Valkyries; 'Lidsmannaflokkr,' a rank-and-file warrior's description of Canute the Great's siege of London in 1016; 'Torf-Einarr's Revenge'; 'Egil's Duel with Ljótr,' five verses from the clas

Who reads Viking Poems on War and Peace : a Study in Skaldic Narrative?

Author

Poole, Russell Gilbert.

Publisher

University of Toronto Press; University of Toronto Press, Scholarly Publishing Division

Published

1991

Language

EN

ISBN

9780802067890

Category

literary studies

Subjects

Literary Fiction, Literary Criticism, Political Science

Updated

2026-03-25