Old Norse Mythology in the Sources

Old Norse Mythology in the Sources

Instructor: Mathias Nordvig

22,724 already enrolled

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

370 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule

6 hours to complete

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

370 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule

6 hours to complete

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

What you'll learn

Identify the differences in literary representation of Old Norse myths in medieval literature and the pre-Christian religion
Understand the processes underlying the codification of Old Norse mythology, and how the literature was interpreted in Christianity
Describe the key elements and features of Old Norse mythology and understand how Old Norse mythology came into existence as medieval literature

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Assessments

4 assignments¹

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Taught in English

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There are 4 modules in this course

This course is an introduction to the religion of the Vikings as it is recorded in Old Norse and Scandinavian literature from the medieval period. You will learn about the different written sources and what they can teach us about pre-Christian religion in northern Europe in the Viking Age. The course surveys the primary collection of Old Norse poetry about the pre-Christian Scandinavian gods, the Poetic Edda. We will also work with the main collections of stories about the Old Norse gods in prose: Snorri Sturluson's Edda and Saxo's History of the Danes.

In this module you will learn about the history and background of Old Norse mythology. You will gain insight into the source background to Old Norse mythology, the relevant historical developments in Scandinavia and Northern Europe, and the interplay between pre-Christian religion and Christian interpretation in the sources. You will be introduced to the Old Norse sources that inform our understanding of pre-Christian and Viking Age religion in Scandinavia: Eddic poetry, skaldic poetry, Snorri's Edda, and runic inscriptions.

What's included

16 videos1 reading1 assignment1 discussion prompt

16 videosTotal 87 minutes

Course Introduction3 minutes
Geography and People4 minutes
Language3 minutes
Runes10 minutes
Written Sources4 minutes
Skaldic Poetry6 minutes
Eddic Poetry5 minutes
Snorri's Edda7 minutes
The Conversion to Christianity5 minutes
The Prologue to Snorri's Edda6 minutes
The Delusion of Gylfi6 minutes
The Language of Poetry5 minutes
Pre-Christian Scandinavia5 minutes
The Old Norse gods 19 minutes
The Old Norse gods 26 minutes
The Old Norse gods 35 minutes

1 readingTotal 1 minute

Course Updates and Accessibility Support1 minute

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Introductory Module30 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

Before We Begin ...10 minutes

In this module you will learn about the primary family of gods in Norse mythology, the Æsir. There are many Æsir but very few of them have stories attached to them. You will learn about the ones that appear most in Snorri Sturluson's Edda and in the Eddic poems: Odin, Thor, Loki and a few others.

What's included

12 videos1 assignment

12 videosTotal 53 minutes

The Collection of Eddic Poems4 minutes
The Prophecy of the Seeress9 minutes
The Sayings of the High One4 minutes
Grimnir's Sayings4 minutes
Vafthrudnir's Sayings5 minutes
Harbard's Song4 minutes
Hymir's Poem4 minutes
Thrym's Poem4 minutes
Skirnir's Journey4 minutes
Loki's Quarrel4 minutes
The Poem of Volund4 minutes
All-Wise's Sayings2 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Eddic Poetry30 minutes

In this module you will learn about the secondary family of gods in Norse mythology, the Vanir. They are hardly to be considered less important than the Æsir, but especially in Snorri's Christianized version of the mythology, the Vanir's role is diminished. Here you will learn about the primary Vanir: Njörðr, Freyr and Freyja.

What's included

10 videos1 assignment

10 videosTotal 35 minutes

Baldr's Dreams2 minutes
The Song of Hyndla2 minutes
Rig's List2 minutes
The Song of Grotti1 minute
Baldr in Saxo's Gesta Danorum4 minutes
Odin in Saxo's Gesta Danorum2 minutes
Hading in Saxo's Gesta Danorum2 minutes
The Use of Eddic Poetry in Snorri's Edda5 minutes
The Use of Skaldic Poetry in Snorri's Edda5 minutes
The Saga of the Ynglings Between History and Myth9 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Additional Sources30 minutes

In this final assessment module you will demonstrate that you have learned the important aspects of the course in Norse mythology.

What's included

1 assignment1 peer review

Instructor

Instructor ratings

(202 ratings)

Mathias Nordvig

University of Colorado Boulder

1 Course22,724 learners

Offered by

University of Colorado Boulder

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Reviewed on Feb 4, 2022

I thoroughly enjoyed this course, well presented and easy to follow. Now I've got a much better understanding of this topic.

Reviewed on May 26, 2024

Rich in material and thorough. The instructor knows his stuff and included material sources and place names to illuminate Norse culture. Really fun.

Reviewed on Jan 2, 2023

I enjoyed the course and now I have a better understanding of my Norse ancestors. I have started to read the Edda's again and they are easier to understand.

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