Eddas

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A collection of Old Norse poetic and prose works that depict the mythology and legends of the Norse gods
2. A term referring to key literary texts from medieval Scandinavia that offer insights into Norse culture and beliefs
3. Notable literary sources comprising two main types: the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda, both rich in mythological narratives and heroic tales

Etymology: The word "eddas" is the plural of "Edda," and its origin is genuinely uncertain. The most striking fact is that the name of these texts may come from a word meaning "poetry" or "great-grandmother," and scholars do not agree on which. The collections were written down in Iceland in the thirteenth century, but the name seems to have been attached to them only later, probably in the seventeenth century, when Icelandic scholars began using it for the manuscripts of Old Norse poetry. The best-known candidate links it to "óðr," an Old Norse word for poetic inspiration or verse, which is also connected to the god Odin. A less-supported idea, once put forward by the Icelandic scholar Snorri Sturluson's readers, ties it to "Edda" meaning great-grandmother, but this explanation is generally considered doubtful. Because the origin is unresolved, the name tells us more about how later scholars wanted to frame the material than about what medieval Icelanders called it. The two main works, the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda, are different kinds of text. The Poetic Edda gathers anonymous verse about gods and heroes, while the Prose Edda, attributed to Snorri Sturluson, is a handbook explaining poetic diction and myth. The plural form "eddas" is used when referring to the collection of these works together.