أقدم الأدبيات الإسكندنافية القديمة

Early Old Norse literature is the only pagan texts to survive from the European Middle Ages. We find no equivalent in other Celtic, Slavic or Germanic regions, giving us a unique opportunity to learn about one of the cultures that flourished in Europe before the final triumph of Christianity. The pagan poets of the North exploited all the resources available to them and were influenced by different cultures. The convergence of traditions during the Viking Age led to a remarkable literary flourishing and creativity, especially since it was more daring because it was not subject to church standards. This book provides an introduction to the study of texts in dead languages ​​and Old Norse prosody. Then, the poem Theodoric on the Smoking Stone, dating from around 800 AD, is analyzed successively, then the poetry of the poet Bragis from around 850 AD, the wisdom poem “The High Valley” from the first half of the ninth century, and the prophecy poem “Vulvan Spadom” from the second half of the ninth century. Together, these texts provide a rich picture of creative art and Old Norse mythology. To analyze these texts in their proper context, it is necessary to establish a reliable history, which in turn requires a solid scientific approach. Research over the past 10 to 15 years has made significant progress in this area, and its findings are presented here for the first time to a wider audience.