Cassell Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend PDF
Preview Cassell Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend
This engrossing and superbly author itative work explores one of the richest veins of world mythology, giving insights into a tradition that has provided the inspiration for over a thousand years of literature, from the poems of the Vikings to the sagas of the Icelanders to the novels of Tolkien. It describes in detail the principal myths and legends of the North, discusses the major literary sources, and sheds light on the pantheon of supernatural beings who populate Norse tales - gods and goddesses, giants and dwarfs, trolls and elves, beasts and monsters, heroes and villains. In addition, the dictionary looks at the historical and social background, addressing topics as diverse as burial rites, runes and sacrificial practices. Extensive quotations from Norse, Old English and Latin sources are included throughout the text, helping to give a sense of the vigorous imaginations that shaped the development of Norse myth and legend, and the dictionary also contains a wide range of illustrations. Scholarly yet accessible, this is an invaluably wide-ranging guide to an endlessly fascinat ing subject. CASSELL Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend CASSELL Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend Andy Orchard CASSELL This edition first published in the UK 1997 by CASSELL Wellington House, 125 Strand, London WC2R OBB Copyright © Andy Orchard 1997 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers and copyright owner. Distributed in the United States by Sterling Publishing Co,, Inc. 387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016-8810 A British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data block for this book may be obtained from the British Library ISBN 0 304 34520 2 Typeset by Bibliocraft, Dundee Printed and bound in Great Britain by The Bath Press Contents Preface vil Introduction: The Nature of the Sources IX Spelling and Pronunciation XIII List of Illustrations XV The Dictionary 1 Appendices 188 A. Odin’s Names and Titles 188 B. Dwarf Names 190 C. Giant Names 191 D. Names of Troll-wives, Giantesses and Valkyries 193 Bibliography and Further Reading 196 A. Reference Books and General Surveys 197 B. Primary Sources 201 C. Translations of Primary Sources 203 D. Secondary Works 204 Index of Passages and Authors Cited in the Text 222
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