Chapter III: Introduction

THE TWO EDDAS, THE ELDER AND THE YOUNGER, THE POETIC AND THE
PROSE.—CONTENTS OF THE FORMER.—DIVISION INTO CLASSES. 1. THE MYSTICAL.
2. THE MYTHIC-DIDACTIC. 3. THE PURELY MYTHOLOGICAL. 4. THE
MYTHIC-HISTORICAL.—POEMS OF EACH CLASS.—THE PROSE EDDA.—SNORRO
STURLESON.

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Religion of the Pagan Northmen an 30
interesting Subject of Inquiry

The Two Eddas 30

I. Sæmund, reputed Compiler of the 31
Poetic Edda; its slow Publication

Poems included in the Elder Edda 31
divisible into four Classes

1. The Mystic Class:—

The Voluspa 32

The Grougaldor 32

The Magic of Odin similar in many 33
Respects to that of Zoroaster

2. The Mytho-didactic Class:—

The Vafthrudnis-mâl 34

Grimnis-mâl 34

Other Pieces of this Class 36

The Hava-mâl 36

3. The purely Mythologic Class:—

The Hymis-guida 37

The Hamars-heimt 37

The Rafna-galdur Odins 37

The Skirnirs-for 37

The Vegtams-Quida 38

Undoubted Antiquity of the preceding 38
Poems

4. The Mytho-historical Class 38

II. The Prose or Younger Edda, usually 39
ascribed to Snorro Sturleson

Some Account of that celebrated Man 40

Sources from which he drew 42