The usage of the word “epli” [apple] in medieval Icleandic texts is much more varied than is often assumed. Apples and other fruits are believed to symbolise fertility, sexuality, and even lust. While this can also be discerned in textual examples from medieval Iceland, the word has much wider connotations. For example, apples are often used in a religious sense, as in the parable of the Fall of Man — the story of Adam and Eve eating the apple in the Garden of Eden. Around half of the instances of the Icelandic word “epli” and its derivatives appear in religious texts, but examples can also be found in encyclopaedias, tales of knights, romantic stories, heroic tales, fairy tales, medical texts, official documents and laws, dream interpretations, and notebooks. However, the word…
1919 words
Citation: Kvaran Einarsdóttir, Hjördís. "Apples in Old Norse Literature". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 19 May 2025 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=19802, accessed 17 July 2025.]
