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Poetik des Widerspruchs? Zum Streit um Snorri Sturluson und seine Edda

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Germanisches Altertum und Europäisches Mittelalter
This chapter is in the book Germanisches Altertum und Europäisches Mittelalter

Abstract

The so-called Prose Edda has been scrutinized by scholars for over two centuries, and since the end of World War II, several seemingly incompatible approaches have been established. Whereas these different interpretations all have their strong and weak points, in the early 21st century, they seem to have become gridlocked in an exclusive either-or thinking. Since the 1990s, Heinrich Beck had sought to establish the medieval concept of analogy as preferred way of interpreting the mythological accounts of the Prose Edda, arguing against competitive approaches such as euhemerism. Towards the end of his productive period, however, he started to throw doubt on the superiority of his own perspective. Rather, he emphasized the necessity to step back from traditional frontiers, and to overcome them by putting more effort into the establishment of a fruitful coexistence of contradictory approaches and a dialogue of different textual and contextual voices. Acknowledging an intended ambiguity of the Prose Edda (and medieval lore in general), recipients are continuously challenged to reevaluate critically their own interpretations. Time did not allow Heinrich Beck to perform such a reevaluation of his extensive oeuvre himself, and the present chapter can by no means take on this task. It is, however, intended to draw awareness to the currently deadlocked state of the majority of scholarship on the Prose Edda, which often seems to consist in little more than the mantra-like repetition of traditional views.

Abstract

The so-called Prose Edda has been scrutinized by scholars for over two centuries, and since the end of World War II, several seemingly incompatible approaches have been established. Whereas these different interpretations all have their strong and weak points, in the early 21st century, they seem to have become gridlocked in an exclusive either-or thinking. Since the 1990s, Heinrich Beck had sought to establish the medieval concept of analogy as preferred way of interpreting the mythological accounts of the Prose Edda, arguing against competitive approaches such as euhemerism. Towards the end of his productive period, however, he started to throw doubt on the superiority of his own perspective. Rather, he emphasized the necessity to step back from traditional frontiers, and to overcome them by putting more effort into the establishment of a fruitful coexistence of contradictory approaches and a dialogue of different textual and contextual voices. Acknowledging an intended ambiguity of the Prose Edda (and medieval lore in general), recipients are continuously challenged to reevaluate critically their own interpretations. Time did not allow Heinrich Beck to perform such a reevaluation of his extensive oeuvre himself, and the present chapter can by no means take on this task. It is, however, intended to draw awareness to the currently deadlocked state of the majority of scholarship on the Prose Edda, which often seems to consist in little more than the mantra-like repetition of traditional views.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Vorwort VII
  3. Inhalt IX
  4. Heinrich Beck – Notizen zu Leben und Wirken 1
  5. Heinrich Beck und das Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde – Erinnerungen der Mitherausgeber 9
  6. Troll as Poet 25
  7. Guidance from ancient symbols: Vegvísir, Ægishjálmur and other galdramyndir 33
  8. « Góð morginveiðr er þetta, herra …». Remarques sur le récit par Snorri Sturluson de la chasse au vol du roi des Suédois Óláfr Eiríksson 55
  9. Narrativ und pragmatische Nutzung des Raums: Zur Verknüpfung von Erzähltradition und Alltagswelt am Beispiel der Überlieferungen über den Gründungsheroen Steingrímur den Troll (Landnámabók S163=H132) 101
  10. Von althochdeutsch angusten zu neuhochdeutsch sich ängstigen 127
  11. Authorship and auctoritas in Sagas of Early Icelanders. The example of Reykdoela saga 139
  12. Opulenz und Defizit. Haar, Bart und Figurenzeichnung in der Brennu-Njáls saga 157
  13. Germ. *dôma- im Wortschatz und in frühen Personennamen 175
  14. Aufreizung im Lauchgarten 203
  15. Om å binde kongemakten 223
  16. Þórr im Riesenland 243
  17. How not to write an Icelandic family saga 263
  18. Poetik des Widerspruchs? Zum Streit um Snorri Sturluson und seine Edda 287
  19. Varð hann sárr á báðum geirvǫrtum: Aud und Thord in der Laxdoela saga, c. 35 303
  20. Þórr och Midgårdsormen på bildstenen Ardre VIII – en omvärdering 319
  21. D’Øverby à Kragehul. Remarques sur le proto-nordique erilar 355
  22. ‘The Woman Causes Me Grief’ – An Old Norse Formula and Concept of Passion 375
  23. Bemerkungen zu vier althochdeutschen Wörtern: renula, *rosa, *skarno und *skeckunga 393
  24. Geschwind wie der IrilaR 403
  25. Zins und Wucher in Schweden bis 1734 427
  26. The Iron Age Post Rows in Old Uppsala: An Enigmatic Monument 459
  27. Fabliaux in Island 487
  28. The yew-rune in the Pre-Old English Loveden Hill Urn inscription and the Pre-fuþorc in ca. AD 450‒550 507
  29. Schriftenverzeichnis Heinrich Becks 519
  30. Register 537
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110778335-015

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Vorwort VII
  3. Inhalt IX
  4. Heinrich Beck – Notizen zu Leben und Wirken 1
  5. Heinrich Beck und das Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde – Erinnerungen der Mitherausgeber 9
  6. Troll as Poet 25
  7. Guidance from ancient symbols: Vegvísir, Ægishjálmur and other galdramyndir 33
  8. « Góð morginveiðr er þetta, herra …». Remarques sur le récit par Snorri Sturluson de la chasse au vol du roi des Suédois Óláfr Eiríksson 55
  9. Narrativ und pragmatische Nutzung des Raums: Zur Verknüpfung von Erzähltradition und Alltagswelt am Beispiel der Überlieferungen über den Gründungsheroen Steingrímur den Troll (Landnámabók S163=H132) 101
  10. Von althochdeutsch angusten zu neuhochdeutsch sich ängstigen 127
  11. Authorship and auctoritas in Sagas of Early Icelanders. The example of Reykdoela saga 139
  12. Opulenz und Defizit. Haar, Bart und Figurenzeichnung in der Brennu-Njáls saga 157
  13. Germ. *dôma- im Wortschatz und in frühen Personennamen 175
  14. Aufreizung im Lauchgarten 203
  15. Om å binde kongemakten 223
  16. Þórr im Riesenland 243
  17. How not to write an Icelandic family saga 263
  18. Poetik des Widerspruchs? Zum Streit um Snorri Sturluson und seine Edda 287
  19. Varð hann sárr á báðum geirvǫrtum: Aud und Thord in der Laxdoela saga, c. 35 303
  20. Þórr och Midgårdsormen på bildstenen Ardre VIII – en omvärdering 319
  21. D’Øverby à Kragehul. Remarques sur le proto-nordique erilar 355
  22. ‘The Woman Causes Me Grief’ – An Old Norse Formula and Concept of Passion 375
  23. Bemerkungen zu vier althochdeutschen Wörtern: renula, *rosa, *skarno und *skeckunga 393
  24. Geschwind wie der IrilaR 403
  25. Zins und Wucher in Schweden bis 1734 427
  26. The Iron Age Post Rows in Old Uppsala: An Enigmatic Monument 459
  27. Fabliaux in Island 487
  28. The yew-rune in the Pre-Old English Loveden Hill Urn inscription and the Pre-fuþorc in ca. AD 450‒550 507
  29. Schriftenverzeichnis Heinrich Becks 519
  30. Register 537
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