The Ancient Icelandic “Poetic Edda” is a canonical monument that captivated readers with tales of gods and heroes of Scandinavian mythology. These plots and images still emerge in literature and art again and again, so firmly they have entered world culture and the human imagination. This collection preserves key myths about Odin, Thor, and Loki; about the world serpent Jörmungandr; about the wolf Fenrir and the dragon Fafnir; about the valkyries and dwarves; as well as stories of heroes of the Germanic-Scandinavian epic—Sigurd, Gunnar, Brynhild, and Gudrun. At the same time, the “Edda” presents a wide panorama of everyday life, beliefs, and customs of the ancient Scandinavians.
The worldview of the Eddic songs does not grow old: it reflects on fate and the freedom of choice, on how to act in the face of cruel trials and even the inevitable collapse, and how to preserve dignity and build relationships with others and with oneself. The gods and heroes of this “Viking Iliad” possess very human passions and vulnerabilities, and the texts themselves have powerful poetic energy that makes you admire and empathize, despite the centuries that separate us from their mysterious creators.