The Origins of Drama in Scandinavia - Hardcover

Gunnell, Terry

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0859914585 ISBN 13: 9780859914581

Publisher: D.S.Brewer, 1995

Synopsis

This book takes a new approach to the question of whether some form of drama existed in early Scandinavia. Dr Gunnell examines the dialogic poems of the Poetic Edda, preserved in manuscripts from the late thirteenth century, from the viewpoints of both performer and audience. He argues that in order to be fully understood by the audience, the poems must have been presented in some dramatic fashion, and not merely chanted. He substantiates his claims by exploring characteristics found only in the manuscripts of these dialogic poems and in contemporary manuscripts of dramatic works from England and Northern France, suggesting that even in the thirteenth century, the dialogic poems must have been regarded as dramatic works. The examination is accompanied by the most complete review to date of the evidence for some kind of ritual drama having existed in pagan Scandinavia, looking at archaeological evidence for the use of masks and costumes, information contained in the sagas, and contemporary historical accounts.

TERRY GUNNELL is Professor of Folkloristics at the University of Iceland.

About this title

Review:

The book has two main contributions to make to the study of medieval Scandinavia. It is a marvelous compendium of evidence for dramatic and quasi-dramatic activities in Scandinavia from prehistoric times to the present; and it presents a serious case for regarding the dialogic poems of the Edda as miniature plays... no reader could fail to be informed and stimulated by its contents. SPECULUM

Full of useful information, current perspectives, and informed speculations, with an enviable profusion of plates... a substantial introduction to the vexing questions of cultic performances in early Scandinavia and their literary/dramatic afterlife. COMPARATIVE DRAMA [US]

A fascinating and thorough study of the evidence concerning early dramatic performance in pre-Christian Scandinavia. JOURNAL OF ENGLISH AND GERMANIC PHILOLOGY

From the Back Cover:

This book is the first major study for fifty years of the evidence for some form of drama in early Scandinavia. Terry Gunnell examines the dialogic poems of the Poetic Edda, preserved in manuscripts from the late thirteenth century, from the viewpoints of both the performer and the audience, and argues that in order to be fully understood by the audience, the poems must have been presented in some dramatic fashion, and not merely chanted. He then points to certain characteristics, found only in the manuscripts of these dialogic poems and in contemporary manuscripts of dramatic works from England and northern France, as further evidence that in the thirteenth century the dialogic poems must have been regarded as dramatic works. This examination is accompanied by what is probably the most complete review to date of the evidence for some kind of ritual drama having existed in pagan Scandinavia. This review looks not only at the archaeological evidence concerning the use of masks and costumes, but also at the information contained in the sagas, and contemporary historical accounts from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. In addition to this, a detailed review is made of those later dramatic folk traditions from Scandinavia (including Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Shetland and Orkney) that seem to have ancient roots, such as the traditions of the Yule-goat (julebukk) and the straw man.

About this edition

• Publisher: D.S.Brewer
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 0859914585
• ISBN 13: 9780859914581
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 440