Between the Worlds: Contexts, Sources, and Analogues of Scandinavian Otherworld Journeys
The rich corpus of literary otherworld journeys that has survived from the Scandinavian - and especially the Icelandic - Middle Ages is in many respects tied to a space 'Between the Worlds'. Every otherworld journey quite literally engages with a space 'between the worlds' in the sense that it plays itself out between this world and a world beyond, an otherworld. Yet this is not all. Also in terms of its cultural context this branch of the literature of the medieval North takes up a position situated midway between a broad range of poles. Texts from the Christian period treat pre-Christian mythology; allegedly pre-Christian material is studded with Christian motifs; Scandinavian texts adapt the learning and literature of the European continent, Ireland, and the classical Mediterranean; and Finnish narratives in turn appear to adapt Scandinavian narrative patterns. The volume presents a rich panorama of a broad range of very different - Scandinavian, Finno-Ugric, Greek, Latin, Celtic, Ancient Near Eastern, and archaeological - perspectives on the topic of the 'otherworld journey', which contextualises the motif of the otherworld journey in Old Norse-Icelandic literature in an unprecedented breadth.
1136954334
Between the Worlds: Contexts, Sources, and Analogues of Scandinavian Otherworld Journeys
The rich corpus of literary otherworld journeys that has survived from the Scandinavian - and especially the Icelandic - Middle Ages is in many respects tied to a space 'Between the Worlds'. Every otherworld journey quite literally engages with a space 'between the worlds' in the sense that it plays itself out between this world and a world beyond, an otherworld. Yet this is not all. Also in terms of its cultural context this branch of the literature of the medieval North takes up a position situated midway between a broad range of poles. Texts from the Christian period treat pre-Christian mythology; allegedly pre-Christian material is studded with Christian motifs; Scandinavian texts adapt the learning and literature of the European continent, Ireland, and the classical Mediterranean; and Finnish narratives in turn appear to adapt Scandinavian narrative patterns. The volume presents a rich panorama of a broad range of very different - Scandinavian, Finno-Ugric, Greek, Latin, Celtic, Ancient Near Eastern, and archaeological - perspectives on the topic of the 'otherworld journey', which contextualises the motif of the otherworld journey in Old Norse-Icelandic literature in an unprecedented breadth.
250.0
In Stock
5
1
Between the Worlds: Contexts, Sources, and Analogues of Scandinavian Otherworld Journeys
729Between the Worlds: Contexts, Sources, and Analogues of Scandinavian Otherworld Journeys
729
250.0
In Stock
Product Details
ISBN-13: | 9783110618815 |
---|---|
Publisher: | De Gruyter |
Publication date: | 05/05/2020 |
Series: | Ergänzungsbände zum Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde , #118 |
Pages: | 729 |
Product dimensions: | 6.69(w) x 9.45(h) x (d) |
Language: | German |
Age Range: | 18 Years |
About the Author
From the B&N Reads Blog