Mythology of Scandinavian
The Classroom and Resources


Welcome


Syllabus


Course Requirements


Course Materials


Grading


Timeline

Scott A Mellor
1310 Van Hise Hall
Tel: 262-0863
Email: samellor@wisc.edu

Wagon

 

19th Century Scandinavian Literature

 
 
Syllabus: Spring 2008
Welcome

Principal Gods

C Class Compendium

P Patricia Terry's Poems of the Elder Edda

F Anthony Faulkes' EDDA (Prose Edda)

S Beowulf

B Jesse Byock's The Saga of the Volsungs

D A. T. Hatto The Nibelungenlied

J Jesse Byock's The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki

M 13th Warrior

E Eaters of the Dead

Week 1 Introduction Readings
Jan. 21 Introduction: The Geography and Languages of Northern Europe, Definitions  
Week 2 Shamanism  
Jan. 26 Kalevala: Creation C Creation, Sun and Moon, Bear Ceremony, The Sampo
Jan. 28 Kalevala: The Shaman C Singing Match, The Spell I & II
Week 3 Creation and Pantheon  
Feb. 2 Tacitus and Source Material
The Norse World and Creation
F Introduction xi-xxiii, and Prologue, pp 1-5
C Tacitus, Germania
P "The Sibyl's Prophecy" (Völuspá)
Feb. 4 The Norse Gods and the World of Men P "The Sibyl's Prophecy" (Völuspá)
F Snorri, pp.7-37
C"Rigsthula"
Week 4 Odin  
Feb. 9 Odin, God of War, Manners, Wisdom, and Magic F Snorri, pp. 21-22
P "Sayings of the High One"
P "Lay of Vafthrudnir"
P "Lay of Grimnir"
C Runic Poem
C Adam of Bremen
Feb. 11 Poetry: Odin Stealing of the Poetic Mead F Snorri, pp. 59-164 Skaldskapamál (look briefly at "Hattatal")
F Especially pp. 62-64 Stealing of the Poetic Mead and pp. 150-164
C Gnomic Verses
Week 5 Thor  
Feb. 16 The Thunder God and God of War F Snorri, pp. 36-47 Hymnir
P "Lay of Hymir"
P "Lay of Alvis"
F Snorri, pp. 78-81 Hrungnir
Feb. 18 The Thunder God and God of Fertility P "Lay of Thrym"
F Snorri, pp. 37-46 Utgarda Loki
Week 6 Fertility  
Feb. 23 Fertility: Frey C "The Lay of Skirnir"
P "Skirnir's Journey"
Feb. 25 Fertility: Freyja C "Sörlathattr"
F Snorri, pp. 60-61 Stealing of Idun
F Snorri, pp. 86-88 "Haustlong"
Week 7 Loki, God of Deception  
Mar 2 Fertility: Freyja C "Sörlathattr"
F Snorri, pp. 60-61 Stealing of Idun
F Snorri, pp. 86-88 "Haustlong"
Mar. 4 Loki. Cunning and deception

F Snorri, pp. 48-58 Baldr and Ragnarok
F Snorri, pp. 60-61 Stealing of Idun
F Snorri, pp. 81-86 Geirrod
F Snorri, pp. 96-97 Gifts
P "Lokasenna"
F Snorri, pp. 35-37 Building of Asgard
F Snorri, pp. 37-46 Utgarda Loki
F Snorri, pp. 46-47 Hymnir

Week 8 Exam Week:  
Mar. 9 Review  
Mar 11 Exam  
  SPRING BREAK  
Week 9 Gods of Death  
Mar. 23

Creation, Destruction, and Regeneration
World Order
Thor, Frejya, Odin, and Death
Death of Baldr, Osiris, and others

P "The Sibyl's Prophecy"
F Snorri, pp. 48-58 Baldr and Ragnarok
C "Wessobrunner Gebet"
C "Muspilli"
C Ibn Fadlan
F Snorri, pp. 48-51 Baldr

Mar. 25 The Enigmatic Gods
Gods of the Sea
F Snorri, pp. 75-77 Heimdall
F Snorri, pp. 95 Ran
F Snorri, pp. 106-110 Frodi and the Mill
P The Mill Song
Week 10 Mythic Smith, the Swan Maidens, and Bears
Heroes and Dragons
 
Mar. 30 Wayland the Smith P "Lay of Volund"
C The Tale of Velent the Smith
C Kalevala: The Smith, Fire
April 1

Beowulf

S Beowulf
Week 11 Heroic Epic  
April.6 Hrolf Kraki J The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki
April 8 Hrolf Kraki

J The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki

Week 12 Heroic Epic  
April 13 Mythic Patterns in Germanic Heroic Narrative
B Saga of the Volsungs
CTheories and Structures
April 15 Sigurd the Dragonslayer B Saga of the Volsungs
Week 13 Heroic Epic  
April 20 Sigurd and the oral tradition

Review Snorri, pp.100-106 Sigurd
P "The Lay of Helgi" to "The lay of Hamdir"

April 21 Middle Ages: Code of Honor vs Rule of Law D The Niberlungenlied
Week 14 Heroic Epic  
April 27 Sigurd and modern renditions E Eaters of the Dead
C Ibn Fadlan
Anna Russell (in Class)
April 29 13th Warrior

Movie vewing: 13th Warrior (stay 15 minutes late)

Week 15 Christianity  
May 4 The Conversion of Scandinavia C Life of Ansgar
May 6 Christianity in Scandinavia: The Middle Ages to The Reformation C St. Birgitta and " Thorekarl of Asgath" and " Blue Belt "
C Martin Luther and Witch Legends
May 13 Exam 10:05 AM