Cassell Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend

246 Pages·1997·32.127 MB·English

by  Andy Orchard

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