| 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 |
