Re-writing the Eddas?

[solar_nexus]

All I can say is that if you are going to re-write the Edda, you had better think it through %100. The consequences for doing such a thing could be absolutely tremendous because you are alterning an entire religion. In doing so, you may be "killing" some important parts of it and you might end up poisoning alot of people. Now, I do know that Wayland Skallagrim wrote The New Edda, which is fine because he never derided or intended to re-write the The Elder or Prose Edda, rather he *expanded* on it by taking post-conversion folklore, condensed it, and showed how the Gods survived in mysterious ways. This is different, and is totally different from re-writing the Elder Edda.....rather its an *expansion* of it. But to re-write the Eddas and not even have a *reason* for it in the first place? That, in my not so humble opinion is completely unacceptable and I will not buy or make use of this "Edda". Even Edred Thorsson and Jim Chisolm (both with PHD's in Germanic Studies) have warned against doing such a thing and that is why Jim Chisolm translated the Elder Edda and gave important footnotes....to show WHY we shouldn't change it AND to show why it does NOT possess Christian influences. Their advise should be listened to, because not only are they scholars, but they are also Heathens and runers (mystery seekers) at the same time. This means they have explored, meditated on, and delved into the Lore in ways that most Heathens don't even care to do. These *are* authorative sources and it is going to be very hard to convince me to accept the idea of tossing the Elder Edda in favor of this re-written one.

[Torquil]

After studying these links about Snorri Sturluson I can start to understand Lonnie and SN's point. I didn't really know much about him as a person other than that he was a Christian. Though I'm sure the Eddas were colored by some of his ideas, he probably kept pretty much loyal to the original oral lore. It would probably be best if our understanding of the lore were based on the original Eddas.

http://www.fva.is/~harpa/forn/englis.../e_snorri.html
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/snorri.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snorri_Sturluson

This being said, I still think there is value in books like the upcoming "Asatru Edda." I'll be purchasing a copy.

[mjollnir]

I've been reading this thread for a few days now trying to come up with a good, thought out response. My thoughts on this are why are we trying to re-invent the wheel? I have never once saw anything in Snorri's Edda that showed any disdain for the gods. I always believed that his prologue was neccessary for him to write or he would have been in some deep poop! I hail those who compiled and preserved the lore...no matter what faith they beloned to...for without them we would have nothing!

Also, we should never look to the lore as our bible...for lack of a better word. Everyone speaks of the Poetic Edda and Snorri's Edda as having a christian influence. However, most translations of the Poetic Edda will tell you in footnotes that some verses are interpolations and were probably not part of the original text....and most translators refuse to include these verses in the text. If anyone thinks that those two translations show disrespect to the gods/goddesses, try reading Saxo's history of the danes.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

[attak53]

I've read and reread this post trying to think of a way to say what it is that I want to say and hopefully it leaves my head and comes to this page the way I intend it to. Rewritting the Edda's no matter how good of an idea it might sound is not feasable. What are you going to base you're rewritting on? All we have to tell us of these stories is the Eddas themselves and since none of us were around at the time of there writting how can we say how close they are to the oral stories that were handed down? Anything that you would write would be based on what? If you ask me each and every one of us rewrites the Eddas each time we read them when we decide for ourselves what that stanza means to us. As I read and reread the Edda's I keep a journal and I write down what I feel that passage is saying to me. No two people are going to draw exactly the same conclusions from what they are reading. So as noble as this idea may sound I agree with Lonnie and Mjollnir when they say if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Shale]

Ohh finding a good translation of an Edda is wreaking my mind, I grab one off the net that looked good 236 pages of content, indexs included. Also sources for the information. Funny almost 90% came from a guy named Snorri.

Okay it looked good then I got to the edda's prologue, suprising it was 10 full pages past the intro so my skimming missed this travisty. Pardon my distaste for the X religion (Christianity).

Anyway moving on. So I hit the prologue and I'm reading get about 1 paragraph down then, suddenly I realize what the first sentence was from. Ahem it went like this. (Yeah it came a little slow laugh it up)

"IN the beginning God created heaven and the earth.....

The term WTF came to my mind within seconds of understanding what this was.. A salad bowl translation 54 parts X 1 part Heathen.

Now on this discussion of whos got the best point weather to re-write or not to. Your joking right? Odin didnt give his eye for wisdom for no reason. We need to make sacrifice's to get to the truth. Sadly I cant tell what are his teaching or what are some Inbread religion....(I'm not just talking to you X, Yeah thats right C your in this blame train to.)

Please re-write it, i'm tired I have been searching for the past 4 years for a edda as pure as the Havamal, I could rest with a few "Were not sure about this part cause..." it would be fine, I'd actually like a few of those. Why? CAUSE!! The Folk we got is not "And this is how it came to be, and then something happend, then God flooded the planet, then this happend and god Sent meteor showers down, then God suddenly had a change of heart became all forgiving thee end" I like not knowing, and the not perfect infinite Gods I can relate to them way better I dont like things that dont die.

Why not give us newbies some damn closer!!Hook the new Edda up to my Veins!!

Sorry I think I went to far, yeah I can now understand how this debate has lasted so long.

Grats on the Uber post Leffrea .

Katia, can you tell me when that book comes out. I got your Husbands other book 2nd from the top of my next books to read list. Blue Gold is just holding me back from that book, but must learn why water is dissapearing.

[Yippy]

As far as I'm aware, the germanic people didn't write much until after their contact with the southern cultures that habitually wrote down everything. Considering that, we're lucky to have as little christian influence we do... scary thought.

The Poetic Edda doesn't have as much of a christian taint, aside from a few interpolations here and there. That's where the Havamal comes from, and the rest of it is comparably clean. If you want the "purest" Edda, read that one instead of the Prose Edda.

[Robert/Odin321]

After reading the lee m hollander version i thought how nice it would be to be able to understand better in plain english,then i bought the masks of odinn,and found it to be a companion of sorts to the edda.Plus there are so many versions out there,but dont stop there there are many sagas,and pamphlets,read read read!

[English Odinist]

An interesting discussion, this! I think you are right, Liffrea, in saying we owe a debt of gratitude to Snorri, and also to whoever compiled and, so, preserved the Elder Edda, for without their work, what would we know of the myths? The trouble is that we cannot rewrite history, and the fact of the matter is that our mythic inheritance was recorded a couple of centuries after the conversion to Christianity. Fortunately, this happened in a country, Iceland, where there was a real love and enthusiasm for history, literature and poetry. I think if you have ever visited Iceland you will know that all Icelanders, whatever their religion, have a deep sense of pride in the literary achievements of their country. Snorri was just trying to preserve the heritage of his country, to the best of his understanding and capability. His understanding of elements of the myths may have been flawed, but he was a lot, lot closer to the heathen period than we are. How can we possibly assume that we in the 21st century know more about what people believed in 9th or 10th century Iceland, than Snorri did in the 12th century? The Eddas are like an old telescope that helps us look into the distant past; they give a somewhat hazy picture, and they don't focus perfectly, but without them we could hardly see a thing.