Snorri Sturluson

Snorri Sturluson (c. 1179–1241) was an Icelandic poet, historian, and political leader. His Prose Edda and Heimskringla are major sources for Norse mythology and Scandinavian royal history.

Prose Edda: A medieval Icelandic handbook of Norse mythology and skaldic poetry, traditionally attributed to Snorri Sturluson. This is Snorri’s best-known work and preserves much of the surviving mythological tradition.
Eddaic poetry: A body of Old Norse mythological and heroic poetry preserved chiefly in medieval manuscripts. Snorri drew on this verse tradition when presenting Norse myths in prose.
Sturlungar: A powerful Icelandic family whose members dominated the island’s politics during the thirteenth century. Snorri belonged to this family and inherited its political influence.
Óláfr Þórðarson: A thirteenth-century Icelandic scholar and poet, also known as Óláfr hvítaskáld, associated with the Sturlung family. His work on grammar and poetry reflects the scholarly culture surrounding Snorri.
Norse mythology: The pre-Christian religious traditions and mythic narratives of medieval Scandinavia. The Prose Edda became one of the fullest written sources for these myths.
Heimskringla: A collection of sagas recounting the lives of Norwegian kings from legendary origins through 1177. This royal history is Snorri’s other major literary achievement.
Kenning: A compressed metaphorical phrase in Germanic poetry, often formed by combining two nouns. Snorri used kennings as examples and explained how poets constructed them.
Oddi: A medieval Icelandic center of learning and clerical culture in the Rangárvellir region. Snorri was raised at Oddi, where he received an education among influential clergy.
Háttatal: A long skaldic poem by Snorri Sturluson that demonstrates numerous poetic meters and honors Norwegian rulers. It offers direct evidence of Snorri’s skill as a poet and his ties to the Norwegian court.
Norse paganism: The diverse pre-Christian religious practices and beliefs of Scandinavian peoples. Snorri’s Christian-era account preserves pagan material while filtering it through medieval interpretation.

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