Source recordAncient text
Prose Edda
Snorri Sturluson · c. 1220 CE · Old Norse
Ancient text
Prose Edda
Snorri Sturluson
A manual of poetics that preserves Norse mythology through three sections: Gylfaginning (mythology), Skaldskaparmal (poetic diction), and Hattatal (verse forms).
About this work
A manual of poetics that preserves Norse mythology through three sections: Gylfaginning (mythology), Skaldskaparmal (poetic diction), and Hattatal (verse forms).
Where to start
Anthony Faulkes's Everyman translation (1987) is the standard complete English edition and a clear starting point for Snorri's retellings.
Figures in the text
Heroes and divinities who feature prominently, with where they appear.
Key scenes
Turning points of the work, in reading order.
The Creation of the World
Snorri recounts how the world was formed from the body of the primordial giant Ymir.
Thor's Fishing Trip
Thor goes fishing with the giant Hymir and nearly hauls up the World Serpent, Jormungandr.
The Death of Baldur
Loki tricks the blind god Hodr into killing Baldur with a dart of mistletoe, the one thing that could harm him.
Ragnarok
The foretold final battle destroys the gods and the world, which is then reborn.
The Legend of the Volsungs
Snorri retells Sigurd's slaying of Fafnir to explain a set of poetic kennings for gold.
Stories drawn from it
Retellings in the atlas that quote or cite this work.
Ragnarok - The Twilight of the GodsapocalypseThe prophesied end of the world in Norse mythology. After a great winter called Fimbulvetr, the bound wolf Fenrir will break free, the Midgard Serpent will rise from the ocean, and the giants will sail to battle the gods.
The Creation of the World from YmircreationIn the beginning was the void Ginnungagap, with Muspelheim (fire) to the south and Niflheim (ice) to the north. When fire and ice met, they created the giant Ymir.
The Death of BaldurtragedyBaldur, the most beloved god, was troubled by dreams of his death. His mother Frigg extracted oaths from all things not to harm him, making him invulnerable - except she overlooked mistletoe.
The Binding of FenrirmythThe gods raised the wolf Fenrir in Asgard, but as he grew enormous and dangerous, they decided he must be bound. The dwarves crafted Gleipnir, a ribbon made from impossible things.
Yggdrasil - The World TreecosmologyThe immense ash tree that stands at the center of the cosmos and connects the Nine Worlds. Its roots extend into multiple realms, and its branches stretch over all existence.
The Mead of PoetrymythOdin's cunning quest to obtain the mead of poetry from the giants, involving shapeshifting, seduction, and theft. This sacred drink grants the gift of poetic inspiration to gods and mortals alike.
Thor's Journey to UtgardepicThor, Loki, and their companions travel to the castle of the giant king Utgard-Loki, where they face a series of humiliating challenges that prove to be elaborate illusions concealing cosmic forces.
About this record
By Elizabeth Stein for Mythos Atlas. About the author. Editorial notes are grounded in the site's cited sources and can be challenged through the contact page.
Dates and authorship follow standard scholarly references; for many ancient works both are approximate or disputed.