Tools of Literacy : The Role of Skaldic Verse in Icelandic Textual Culture of the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries

__Tools of Literacy__ is a thorough and ground-breaking examination of thirteenth-century skaldic verse or dróttkvætt, the literary production of Iceland in the thirteenth century, and of the textual culture which nurtured the poets. Nordal demonstrates the connection between thirteenth-century skaldic verse and the formal study of grammatica in schools, and establishes that skaldic verse was treated much like a Nordic equivalent of classic texts. She also reevaluates and reemphasizes the versatility of skaldic verse, and demonstrates the link between Icelandic authors and intellectual currents in Europe at the time. The study systematically links the thirteenth-century poets with leading families and with ecclesiastical and secular learning, and shows that skaldic verse-making was one of the class symbols of the new aristocracy in thirteenth-century Iceland. Tools Of Literacy Is A Thorough, Ground-breaking Examination Of Skaldic Verse Or Drottkvaett, Icelandic Literary Production In The Twelfth And Thirteenth Centuries, And Of The Textual Culture That Nurtured The Poets. Gudrun Nordal Demonstrates The Connection Between Skaldic Verse And The Formal Study Of Grammatica In Icelandic Schools, Outlining How Skaldic Verse Was Treated Much Like A Nordic Equivalent To Classic Texts. She Also Reevaluates And Reemphasizes The Versatility Of Skaldic Verse, Establishing The Links Between Icelandic Authors And Intellectual Currents In Europe At The Time. By Systematically Tying Poets Together With Leading Families Of The Time And With Ecclesiastical And Secular Learning, Nordal Shows How Skaldic Verse-making Was One Of The Class Symbols Of The New Aristocracy In Twelfth- And Thirteenth-century Iceland. In Giving A Faithful Account Of Icelandic Skaldic Verse-making At This Time, Nordal Has Developed A Database Of Approximately 1900 Kennings And Heiti Which Serves As A Point Of Reference Throughout The Book. The Book's Content Is New And Its Overall Coverage Is Unique. Tools Of Literacy Will Be Of Interest To Scholars And Students In The Fields Of Comparative Literature, Comparative Mythology, Old Norse/icelandic Literature And Language, And Medieval Studies.--jacket. Skaldic Verse And Learning -- The Twelfth Century -- Drottkvaett And The Study Of Grammatica -- The Grammatical Literature -- Hattalykill -- A Twelfth-century Poet: Bishop Kloeingr Porsteinsson -- Snorra Edda And The Study Of Grammatica -- Manuscript Textuality -- The Medieval Codices Of Snorra Edda -- The Manuscripts Of Snorra Edda And The Grammatical Literature -- The Sources And The Thirteenth-century Poet -- Sources Of Skaldic Verse -- Textbooks And Treatises -- Translations From Latin -- A Saint's Life -- Historical Writing -- The Poet's Profession -- Professional Poets -- Aristocratic Poets In Iceland -- Clerics As Poets -- Excursus: The Thirteenth-century Poet -- Unknown Thirteenth-century Poets Listed In Both Versions Of Skaldatal And Their Patrons -- Twelfth-century Poets In Sturlunga Saga -- Known Thirteenth-century Poets -- Theory And Practice In Skaldic Poetics -- Theoretical Discussion Of The Kenning -- The Kenning In Vernacular Literary Theory -- The Fusion Of Vernacular And Latin Traditions -- The Kenning In Grammatica -- Categories Of Meaning In Skaldskaparmal And Litla Skalda -- Pulur -- Theory And Practice In Skaldic Verse -- The Poetic Treatises -- The Human Body Dismembered In Skaldic Diction -- Sources Of Inspiration -- Cosmology, Learning, And Body Imagery -- Neoplatonist Ideas And The World-body -- Ymir's Body In Snorri Sturluson's Gylfaginning -- The Poetic Landscape In Body Imagery -- Cosmological Imagery -- Natural Landscape -- Flora -- The Human Body -- Digging For Gold In Skaldic Verse. Guðrún Nordal. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [393]-410) And Index. "Tools of Literacy is a thorough, ground-breaking examination of skaldic verse or drottkvaett, Icelandic literary production in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, and of the textual culture that nurtured the poets. Gudrun Nordal demonstrates the connection between skaldic verse and the formal study of grammatica in Icelandic schools, outlining how skaldic verse was treated much like a Nordic equivalent to classic texts. She also reevaluates and reemphasizes the versatility of skaldic verse, establishing the links between Icelandic authors and intellectual currents in Europe at the time. By systematically tying poets together with leading families of the time and with ecclesiastical and secular learning, Nordal shows how skaldic verse-making was one of the class symbols of the new aristocracy in twelfth- and thirteenth-century Iceland." "In giving a faithful account of Icelandic skaldic verse-making at this time, Nordal has developed a database of approximately 1900 kennings and heiti which serves as a point of reference throughout the book. The book's content is new and its overall coverage is unique. Tools of Literacy will be of interest to scholars and students in the fields of comparative literature, comparative mythology, Old Norse/Icelandic literature and language, and medieval studies."--Résumé de l'éditeur

Tools of Literacy is a thorough and ground-breaking examination of thirteenth-century skaldic verse or dróttkvætt, the literary production of Iceland in the thirteenth century, and of the textual culture which nurtured the poets. Nordal demonstrates the connection between thirteenth-century skaldic verse and the formal study of grammatica in schools, and establishes that skaldic verse was treated much like a Nordic equivalent of classic texts. She also reevaluates and reemphasizes the versatility of skaldic verse, and demonstrates the link between Icelandic authors and intellectual currents in Europe at the time. The study systematically links the thirteenth-century poets with leading families and with ecclesiastical and secular learning, and shows that skaldic verse-making was one of the class symbols of the new aristocracy in thirteenth-century Iceland.

In giving a faithful account of verse making in thirteenth-century Iceland, Nordal has developed a database of approximately 1900 entries which serves as a point of reference throughout the book. The book's content is new, its overall coverage unique, and it will certainly be of interest to scholars and students in the fields of comparative literature, comparative mythology, Old Norse/Icelandic literature and language, and medieval studies.

Contents 5 Tables, Maps, and Figures 8 Preface 9 Introduction 11 PART ONE: Skaldic Verse and Learning 27 1. The Twelfth Century 27 2. Snorra Edda and the Study of Grammatica 51 PART TWO: The Sources and the Thirteenth-Century Poet 85 3. Sources of Skaldic Verse 85 4. The Poet’s Profession 127 PART THREE: Theory and Practice in Skaldic Poetics 209 5. Theoretical Discussion of the Kenning 209 6. Theory and Practice in Skaldic Verse 247 PART FOUR: Sources of Inspiration 281 7. Cosmology, Learning, and Body Imagery 281 8. Digging for Gold in Skaldic Verse 319 Conclusion 349 Genealogies 357 Notes 369 Abbreviations 399 Bibliography 403 Index 421 A thorough and ground-breaking examination of thirteenth-century skaldic verse, linking the poets of the time with leading families and with ecclesiastical and secular learning.