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A Module in Advanced Old Norse: Volsunga Saga
• Non-Sequential Series
(Note: This module can be joined in any month.)
Vǫlsunga saga (“The Saga of the Vǫlsungs”) is a medieval Icelandic retelling of one of the best-known legendary cycles of the pre-modern Germanic-speaking world – stories that influenced the operas of Richard Wagner, the fantasies of J. R. R. Tolkien, and many other modern creative artists. In this module, you will begin to translate Vǫlsunga saga and discuss both the language and how the saga’s version of the legends relate to other versions known from the medieval world.
Vǫlsunga saga (“The Saga of the Vǫlsungs”) is a medieval Icelandic retelling of one of the best-known legendary cycles of the pre-modern Germanic-speaking world – stories that influenced the operas of Richard Wagner, the fantasies of J. R. R. Tolkien, and many other modern creative artists. In this module, you will begin to translate Vǫlsunga saga and discuss both the language and how the saga’s version of the legends relate to other versions known from the medieval world.
Required Texts
Finch, R. G., ed. Vǫlsunga Saga: The Saga of the Volsungs. Translated by R. G. Finch. Icelandic Texts. London, UK: Nelson, 1965. http://vsnrweb-publications.org.uk/Volsunga saga.pdf. [This text is freely available in PDF form from the Viking Society’s website.]
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