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Völuspá

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would have had knowledge of Christianity and infused it into the poem. Bellows dates the poem to the 10th century which was a transitional period between paganism and Christianity and the two religions would have co-existed before Christianity was declared the official religion of Iceland and the old
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on Christian influences, see the following articles: "The Background and Scope of Vǫluspá" by Kees Samplonius, "Vǫluspá and the Sibylline Oracles with a Focus on the ‘Myth of the Future’" by Gro Steinsland, "Vǫluspá, the Tiburtine Sibyl, and the Apocalypse in the North" by Karl G. Johansson, and
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then established order in the cosmos by finding places for the sun, the moon and the stars, thereby starting the cycle of day and night. A golden age ensued where the Æsir had plenty of gold and happily constructed temples and made tools. But then three mighty giant maidens came from
376:, the world serpent, and wins but Thor is only able to take nine steps afterward before collapsing due to the serpent's venom. Víðarr faces Fenrir and kicks his jaw open before stabbing the wolf in the heart with his spear. The god 461:
In March 2018, a team of medieval historians and scientists from the University of Cambridge suggested that the Icelandic poem, Vǫluspá, estimated to date from 961, was a roughly contemporary chronicle of the volcano
712: 360:, and of others. Then she prophesies the destruction of the gods where fire and flood overwhelm heaven and earth as the gods fight their final battles with their enemies. This is the "fate of the gods" - 108: 473:
section and the part in which the "mighty one who rules over all" are later insertions. Although some have identified the latter figure with Jesus, Bellows thought this was not necessarily the case.
244:). The order and number of the stanzas varies in these sources. Some editors and translators have further rearranged the material. The Codex Regius version is usually taken as a base for editions. 466:
eruption in 939. The researchers suggested that the dramatic imagery of Eldgjá's eruption was purposefully invoked in order to accelerate the Christianization of Iceland.
704: 315:" ("Catalogue of Dwarfs"), is usually considered an interpolation and sometimes omitted by editors and translators. Its role in the poem is not clear. 334:. She then recalls the time Freyja was given to the giants, which is commonly interpreted as a reference to the myth of the giant builder, as told in 349:
and how he gave it up in exchange for knowledge. She asks him in several refrains if he understands, or if he would like to hear more.
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At this point ten of the poem's stanzas are over and six stanzas ensue which contain names of dwarves. This section, sometimes called "
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paganism was tolerated if practiced in private. This allowed the traditions to survive to an extent in Iceland unlike in mainland
1490: 415:, discussing Jörmungandr, great events of the past, and the runic alphabet. A final stanza describes the sudden appearance of 951: 805: 649: 854: 689: 345:
that she knows some of his own secrets, and that he sacrificed an eye in pursuit of knowledge. She tells him she knows
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will live again in a new world where the earth sprouts abundance without sowing seed. The surviving Æsir reunite with
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Some scholars hold that there are Christian influences in the text, emphasizing parallels with the
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born in antiquity who reared her, nine worlds and the tree of life (Mjötviður mær, or axis mundi).
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Finally a beautiful reborn world will rise from the ashes of death and destruction where
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that led to the first "folk" war, and what occurred in the struggle between the Æsir and
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whether he wants her to recite ancient lore based on her memory. She says she remembers
1459: 1287: 1119: 1050: 923: 1348: 825: 650:"Review for The Nordic Apocalypse: Approaches to Völuspa and Nordic Days of Judgement" 566: 39: 1231: 801: 739: 634:"Manifest and Latent Biblical Themes in Vǫluspá" by Pétur Pétursson, all articles in 446: 1438: 53: 1454: 850: 819: 725: 482: 210: 1355: 1266: 1444: 1406: 1089: 1043: 1015: 1008: 893: 842: 681: 657: 420: 387: 170: 20: 1399: 880: 384:, who wields a fiery sword that shines brighter than the sun, and Freyr falls. 89: 1326: 1224: 1210: 1075: 1057: 598: 84: 1128: 1105: 705:"A Volcanic Explosion 1,000 Years Ago Was So Brutal, It Slayed Icelandic Gods" 373: 346: 1510: 1474: 1431: 1082: 772: 412: 319: 272: 1029: 423:, bearing corpses in his wings, before the seeress emerges from her trance. 352:
In the Codex Regius version, the seeress goes on to describe the slaying of
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Edited by Terry Gunnell and Annette Lassen, eds. 2013. Brepols Publishers.
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The Nordic Apocalypse: Approaches to Völuspa and Nordic Days of Judgement.
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The Nordic Apocalypse: Approaches to Völuspa and Nordic Days of Judgement.
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The Nordic Apocalypse: Approaches to Vǫluspá and Nordic Days of Judgement
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are utilised in the song “Twilight of the Gods” in the 2020 video game
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The Elder Edda and the Younger Edda/Elder Edda/The Vala's Prophecy
49: 19:"Voluspa" redirects here. For the album by The Golden Filter, see 498: 416: 870:
Illustrations of Völuspá from manuscripts and early print books.
326:, the world-tree, is described. The seer recalls the burning of 288: 530: 365: 305: 624:
Den poetiska Eddan, övers. Björn Collinder (tryckt 1972) s.296
1449: 767: 400: 381: 377: 372:, the god of thunder and sworn protector of the earth, faces 353: 331: 296:
and the golden age came to an end. The Æsir then created the
565: 226:), and many of its stanzas are quoted or paraphrased in the 369: 357: 342: 284: 276: 261: 166: 45: 157:. It tells the story of the creation of the world and its 847:
Edda Sæmundar Hinns Froða: The Edda Of Sæmund The Learned
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lifted the earth out of the sea, creating the world. The
449:. Henry Adams Bellows stated in 1936 that the author of 438:
and dates to the 10th century, the century before the
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The new world that rises after Ragnarök (depiction by
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and subsequent rebirth, related to the audience by a
917:Eysteinn Björnsson's edition with manuscript texts 356:, best and fairest of the gods and the enmity of 1472: 434:is still one of the most discussed poems of the 181:manuscripts while parts of it are quoted in the 911:'s edition and commentary with manuscript texts 796:Gunnell, Terry and Annette Lassen, eds. 2013. 945: 279:; the world was nothing but the magical void 688:. Translated by Bellows, Henry Adams. 1936. 151:, a seeress') is the best known poem of the 514:are performed in songform in the TV series 318:After the "Dvergatal", the creation of the 952: 938: 868:MyNDIR (My Norse Digital Image Repository) 835:Ólason, Vésteinn. "Vǫluspá and time." In 647: 702: 386: 874: 620: 618: 523:The 2012 atmospheric black metal album 1473: 849:. (2 vols.) London: Trübner & Co. 753: 676: 674: 648:Elton Gay, David (February 11, 2015). 237:, oldest extant manuscript dates from 933: 899: 476: 256:requesting silence from "the sons of 173:. The poem is preserved whole in the 615: 959: 671: 13: 715:from the original on Dec 16, 2023. 692:from the original on Jan 19, 2024. 485:, a philologist familiar with the 411:and meet together at the field of 14: 1522: 861: 575:"Germanic religion and mythology" 103: 38: 800:Brepols Publishers. 240 pages. 738:, HarperCollins, Appendix III; 190: 1491:Eschatology in Norse mythology 883:Translation and commentary by 719: 703:Dockrill, Peter (2018-03-20). 696: 641: 627: 591: 573:; Tikkanen, Amy (2023-03-08). 559: 1: 552: 469:Some have suggested that the 238: 231: 220: 203: 686:Internet Sacred Text Archive 654:Journal of Folklore Research 426: 341:The seeress then reveals to 260:" (human beings) and asking 7: 440:Christianization of Iceland 247: 10: 1527: 1186:Helgakviða Hundingsbana II 814:and the Feast of Easter," 786:Eysteinn Björnsson (ed.). 783:. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 682:"The Poetic Edda: Voluspo" 520:and used as battle chants. 501:in his 1937 fantasy novel 489:, utilized names from the 198:is found in the Icelandic 65: 18: 1416: 1369: 1340: 1311: 1195: 1179:Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar 1172:Helgakviða Hundingsbana I 1163: 1156: 1149: 1067: 977: 970: 810:McKinnell, John (2008). " 731:The History of The Hobbit 546:Assassin's Creed Valhalla 271:She proceeds to recite a 252:The poem starts with the 102: 95: 83: 73: 61: 37: 30: 16:Poem from the Poetic Edda 1253:Sigurðarkviða hin skamma 766:. Christiania: Malling. 839:, pp. 25–44. 2013. 832:. Reykjavík: Helgafell. 603:Encyclopedia Britannica 579:Encyclopedia Britannica 347:where his eye is hidden 571:Turville-Petre, E.O.G. 396: 1239:Brot af Sigurðarkviðu 567:Polomé, Edgar Charles 540:Various stanzas from 390: 1501:Old Norse philosophy 1481:Old Norse literature 875:English translations 447:Sibylline Prophecies 1204:Frá dauða Sinfjötla 885:Henry Adams Bellows 754:Relevant literature 497:and for the Wizard 320:first man and woman 308:are the mightiest. 147:: 'Prophecy of the 1486:13th-century poems 1460:Icelandic language 1260:Helreið Brynhildar 1097:Völuspá hin skamma 971:Mythological poems 900:Old Norse editions 781:Mythological Poems 533:takes lyrics from 477:In popular culture 397: 368:, the great wolf. 322:are recounted and 283:until the sons of 1468: 1467: 1365: 1364: 1336: 1335: 1281:Guðrúnarkviða III 1145: 1144: 1136:Hrafnagaldr Óðins 806:978-2-503-54182-2 736:Return to Bag-End 380:fights the giant 118: 117: 1518: 1455:Old Norse poetry 1341:Non-Codex Regius 1312:Jörmunrekkr Lays 1274:Guðrúnarkviða II 1161: 1160: 1154: 1153: 1068:Non-Codex Regius 975: 974: 954: 947: 940: 931: 930: 855:available online 851:Norroena Society 843:Thorpe, Benjamin 792:Available online 768:Available online 764:Norræn fornkvæði 747: 726:John D. Rateliff 723: 717: 716: 700: 694: 693: 678: 669: 668: 666: 665: 656:. Archived from 645: 639: 631: 625: 622: 613: 612: 610: 609: 595: 589: 588: 586: 585: 563: 483:J. R. R. Tolkien 243: 240: 236: 233: 225: 222: 211:Haukr Erlendsson 208: 205: 107: 106: 69: 42: 33: 28: 27: 1526: 1525: 1521: 1520: 1519: 1517: 1516: 1515: 1471: 1470: 1469: 1464: 1445:Norse mythology 1412: 1407:Codex Wormianus 1361: 1332: 1307: 1246:Guðrúnarkviða I 1191: 1141: 1063: 966: 958: 902: 894:Benjamin Thorpe 892:Translation by 877: 864: 857:at Google Books 826:Sigurður Nordal 777:The Poetic Edda 756: 751: 750: 724: 720: 701: 697: 680: 679: 672: 663: 661: 646: 642: 632: 628: 623: 616: 607: 605: 597: 596: 592: 583: 581: 564: 560: 555: 479: 429: 250: 241: 234: 223: 206: 193: 171:Norse mythology 104: 57: 31: 24: 21:Voluspa (album) 17: 12: 11: 5: 1524: 1514: 1513: 1508: 1506:Creation myths 1503: 1498: 1493: 1488: 1483: 1466: 1465: 1463: 1462: 1457: 1452: 1450:Skaldic poetry 1447: 1442: 1435: 1428: 1420: 1418: 1414: 1413: 1411: 1410: 1403: 1396: 1389: 1384: 1379: 1373: 1371: 1367: 1366: 1363: 1362: 1360: 1359: 1352: 1344: 1342: 1338: 1337: 1334: 1333: 1331: 1330: 1323: 1315: 1313: 1309: 1308: 1306: 1305: 1298: 1291: 1284: 1277: 1270: 1263: 1256: 1249: 1242: 1235: 1228: 1221: 1214: 1207: 1199: 1197: 1193: 1192: 1190: 1189: 1182: 1175: 1167: 1165: 1158: 1151: 1147: 1146: 1143: 1142: 1140: 1139: 1132: 1125: 1124: 1123: 1116: 1102: 1101: 1100: 1086: 1079: 1076:Baldrs draumar 1071: 1069: 1065: 1064: 1062: 1061: 1054: 1047: 1040: 1033: 1026: 1019: 1012: 1005: 998: 991: 983: 981: 972: 968: 967: 957: 956: 949: 942: 934: 928: 927: 918: 912: 901: 898: 897: 896: 887: 876: 873: 872: 871: 863: 862:External links 860: 859: 858: 845:(tr.) (1866). 840: 833: 823: 808: 794: 784: 773:Dronke, Ursula 770: 755: 752: 749: 748: 718: 695: 670: 640: 626: 614: 590: 557: 556: 554: 551: 550: 549: 538: 521: 508: 478: 475: 428: 425: 249: 246: 192: 189: 116: 115: 100: 99: 93: 92: 87: 81: 80: 75: 71: 70: 63: 62:Original title 59: 58: 54:Lorenz Frølich 43: 35: 34: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1523: 1512: 1509: 1507: 1504: 1502: 1499: 1497: 1494: 1492: 1489: 1487: 1484: 1482: 1479: 1478: 1476: 1461: 1458: 1456: 1453: 1451: 1448: 1446: 1443: 1441: 1440: 1436: 1434: 1433: 1432:Eddica minora 1429: 1427: 1426: 1422: 1421: 1419: 1415: 1409: 1408: 1404: 1402: 1401: 1397: 1395: 1394: 1390: 1388: 1385: 1383: 1380: 1378: 1375: 1374: 1372: 1368: 1358: 1357: 1356:Hervararkviða 1353: 1351: 1350: 1346: 1345: 1343: 1339: 1329: 1328: 1324: 1322: 1321: 1317: 1316: 1314: 1310: 1304: 1303: 1299: 1297: 1296: 1292: 1290: 1289: 1288:Oddrúnargrátr 1285: 1283: 1282: 1278: 1276: 1275: 1271: 1269: 1268: 1267:Dráp Niflunga 1264: 1262: 1261: 1257: 1255: 1254: 1250: 1248: 1247: 1243: 1241: 1240: 1236: 1234: 1233: 1229: 1227: 1226: 1222: 1220: 1219: 1215: 1213: 1212: 1208: 1206: 1205: 1201: 1200: 1198: 1196:Niflung Cycle 1194: 1188: 1187: 1183: 1181: 1180: 1176: 1174: 1173: 1169: 1168: 1166: 1162: 1159: 1155: 1152: 1148: 1138: 1137: 1133: 1131: 1130: 1126: 1122: 1121: 1120:Fjölsvinnsmál 1117: 1115: 1114: 1110: 1109: 1108: 1107: 1103: 1099: 1098: 1094: 1093: 1092: 1091: 1087: 1085: 1084: 1080: 1078: 1077: 1073: 1072: 1070: 1066: 1060: 1059: 1055: 1053: 1052: 1051:Völundarkviða 1048: 1046: 1045: 1041: 1039: 1038: 1034: 1032: 1031: 1027: 1025: 1024: 1020: 1018: 1017: 1013: 1011: 1010: 1006: 1004: 1003: 1002:Vafþrúðnismál 999: 997: 996: 992: 990: 989: 985: 984: 982: 980: 976: 973: 969: 965: 964: 955: 950: 948: 943: 941: 936: 935: 932: 925: 924:Guðni Jónsson 922: 919: 916: 913: 910: 907: 904: 903: 895: 891: 888: 886: 882: 879: 878: 869: 866: 865: 856: 852: 848: 844: 841: 838: 834: 831: 827: 824: 821: 817: 813: 809: 807: 803: 799: 795: 793: 789: 785: 782: 778: 774: 771: 769: 765: 761: 760:Bugge, Sophus 758: 757: 745: 744:0-00-725066-5 741: 737: 733: 732: 727: 722: 714: 710: 706: 699: 691: 687: 683: 677: 675: 660:on 2020-04-25 659: 655: 651: 644: 637: 630: 621: 619: 604: 600: 599:"Ginnungagap" 594: 580: 576: 572: 568: 562: 558: 547: 543: 539: 536: 532: 528: 527: 522: 519: 518: 513: 510:Stanzas from 509: 506: 505: 500: 496: 492: 488: 484: 481: 480: 474: 472: 467: 465: 459: 457: 452: 448: 443: 441: 437: 433: 424: 422: 418: 414: 410: 406: 402: 394: 389: 385: 383: 379: 375: 371: 367: 363: 359: 355: 350: 348: 344: 339: 337: 333: 329: 325: 321: 316: 314: 309: 307: 303: 299: 295: 290: 286: 282: 278: 275:and mentions 274: 273:creation myth 269: 267: 263: 259: 255: 245: 229: 218: 217: 212: 201: 197: 188: 186: 185: 180: 176: 172: 168: 164: 160: 156: 155: 150: 146: 142: 141: 136: 135: 130: 129: 124: 123: 114: 110: 101: 98: 94: 91: 88: 86: 82: 79: 76: 72: 68: 64: 60: 55: 51: 47: 41: 36: 29: 26: 22: 1496:Eddic poetry 1437: 1430: 1423: 1405: 1400:Flateyjarbók 1398: 1391: 1382:AM 748 I 4to 1377:Codex Regius 1354: 1347: 1325: 1320:Guðrúnarhvöt 1318: 1300: 1293: 1286: 1279: 1272: 1265: 1258: 1251: 1244: 1237: 1232:Sigrdrífumál 1230: 1223: 1216: 1209: 1202: 1184: 1177: 1170: 1157:Codex Regius 1134: 1127: 1118: 1111: 1104: 1095: 1088: 1081: 1074: 1056: 1049: 1042: 1035: 1028: 1023:Hárbarðsljóð 1021: 1014: 1007: 1000: 993: 987: 986: 979:Codex Regius 961: 909:Sophus Bugge 846: 836: 829: 815: 811: 797: 787: 780: 776: 763: 735: 729: 721: 709:ScienceAlert 708: 698: 685: 662:. Retrieved 658:the original 653: 643: 635: 629: 606:. Retrieved 593: 582:. Retrieved 561: 541: 534: 524: 515: 511: 502: 490: 486: 470: 468: 460: 450: 444: 435: 431: 430: 398: 393:Emil Doepler 351: 340: 336:Gylfaginning 317: 312: 310: 270: 251: 214: 202:manuscript ( 200:Codex Regius 195: 194: 191:Preservation 182: 175:Codex Regius 152: 139: 138: 133: 132: 127: 126: 121: 120: 119: 96: 90:Fornyrðislag 66: 52:" (1895) by 25: 1370:Manuscripts 1150:Heroic Lays 1129:Gróttasöngr 1106:Svipdagsmál 963:Poetic Edda 734:, volume 2 456:Scandinavia 436:Poetic Edda 374:Jörmungandr 281:Ginnungagap 242: 1300 235: 1220 224: 1334 207: 1270 165:addressing 154:Poetic Edda 1475:Categories 1425:Prose Edda 1387:AM 738 4to 1349:Hlöðskviða 1164:Helgi Lays 1090:Hyndluljóð 1044:Þrymskviða 1030:Hymiskviða 1016:Skírnismál 1009:Grímnismál 926:'s edition 818:12:3–28. ( 779:Volume II 664:2020-04-14 608:2023-04-30 584:2023-04-30 553:References 504:The Hobbit 300:, of whom 294:Jötunheimr 230:(composed 228:Prose Edda 184:Prose Edda 159:coming end 113:Wikisource 1439:Sólarljóð 1327:Hamðismál 1295:Atlakviða 1225:Fáfnismál 1218:Reginsmál 1211:Grípisspá 1058:Alvíssmál 1037:Lokasenna 816:Alvíssmál 526:Umskiptar 491:Dvergatal 471:Dvergatal 427:Reception 324:Yggdrasil 313:Dvergatal 302:Mótsognir 258:Heimdallr 209:) and in 145:Old Norse 97:Full text 78:Old Norse 1417:See also 1393:Hauksbók 1113:Grógaldr 1083:Rígsþula 853:edition 828:(1952). 775:(1997). 762:(1867). 728:(2007), 713:Archived 690:Archived 493:for the 464:Eldgjá's 413:Iðavöllr 362:Ragnarök 328:Gullveig 248:Synopsis 216:Hauksbók 179:Hauksbók 140:Vǫluspǫ́ 74:Language 67:Vǫluspǫ́ 48:and the 1302:Atlamál 995:Hávamál 988:Völuspá 921:Völuspá 915:Völuspá 906:Völuspá 890:Völuspâ 881:Voluspo 830:Völuspá 812:Völuspá 788:Völuspá 542:Völuspá 535:Völuspá 517:Vikings 512:Völuspá 499:Gandalf 495:Dwarves 487:Völuspá 451:Völuspá 432:Völuspá 417:Nidhogg 219:Codex ( 196:Völuspá 134:Vǫlospá 128:Vǫluspá 122:Völuspá 32:Völuspá 804:  742:  531:Burzum 421:dragon 366:Fenrir 306:Durinn 298:dwarfs 266:giants 125:(also 409:Hœnir 401:Baldr 382:Surtr 378:Freyr 354:Baldr 332:Vanir 254:völva 163:völva 149:völva 85:Meter 50:Völva 1511:Ymir 960:The 802:ISBN 740:ISBN 419:the 405:Höðr 403:and 370:Thor 358:Loki 343:Odin 338:42. 304:and 289:Æsir 285:Burr 277:Ymir 262:Odin 177:and 167:Odin 46:Odin 820:PDF 529:by 213:'s 137:or 111:at 1477:: 790:. 711:. 707:. 684:. 673:^ 652:. 617:^ 601:. 577:. 569:; 458:. 442:. 239:c. 232:c. 221:c. 204:c. 187:. 143:; 131:, 953:e 946:t 939:v 822:) 746:. 667:. 611:. 587:. 548:. 537:. 507:. 395:) 56:. 44:" 23:.

Index

Voluspa (album)

Odin
Völva
Lorenz Frølich
Old Norse
Meter
Fornyrðislag
The Elder Edda and the Younger Edda/Elder Edda/The Vala's Prophecy
Wikisource
Old Norse
völva
Poetic Edda
coming end
völva
Odin
Norse mythology
Codex Regius
Hauksbók
Prose Edda
Codex Regius
Haukr Erlendsson
Hauksbók
Prose Edda
völva
Heimdallr
Odin
giants
creation myth
Ymir

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