Anonymous, Hymiskviða [Hymir’s poem]

Andrew McGillivray (University of Winnipeg)

Ed. by Ármann Jakobsson, University of Iceland
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.3.4: Icelandic Writing and Culture.
Vol. editors: Ármann Jakobsson (University of Iceland), Sven Hakon Rossel (Universitat Wien), Herbert Rowland (Purdue University), Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen (University College London)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1100 - 1200

Places

Iceland (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Poem

Resources

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Hymiskviða [Hymir’s poem] is a mythological eddic poem composed in fornyrðislag [old story meter]. The poem is divided into 39 stanzas. The oldest version of Hymiskviða survives in a vellum manuscript from c. 1260-1280, Konungsbók eddukvæða (Codex Regius of Eddic Poetry; GKS 2365 4to). A second version of the poem is found in AM 748 I a 4to, a vellum manuscript from c. 1300. In Konungsbók eddukvæða the poem is titled Þórr dró Miðgarðsorm [Thor catches Midgard serpent], whereas in AM 748 I a 4to the poem is titled Hymiskviða.

Hymiskviða relates the story of one of Þórr’s a…

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2131 words

Citation: McGillivray, Andrew. "Hymiskviða". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 07 July 2023 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=41002, accessed 28 September 2023.]

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