[The Second Poem of Helgi Hundingsbani] is an Old Norse-Icelandic heroic poem, composed in the eddic metre
fornyrðislag[old story metre] with the exception of a single stanza (v. 23), which is composed in
ljóðaháttr[song metre]. The poetry is divided into 51 stanzas, mostly direct speech, and there are a number of prose insertions, which makes this poem an example of prosimetrum, for the poetry and prose alternate throughout. The events that drive the narrative action of
Helgakviða Hundingsbana IIoccur mainly in the prose passages, whereas the poetry mostly presents dialogue between characters. The oldest version of
Helgakviða Hundingsbana IIsurvives in a vellum manuscript from c. 1270, Konungsbók eddukvæða (Codex Regius of Eddic Poetry; GKS 2365…
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Citation: McGillivray, Andrew. "Helgakviða Hundingsbana II". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 July 2025 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=41655, accessed 08 July 2025.]
