Description
Book SynopsisA fresh look at early dramatic activity in Scandinavia, using archaeological, historical and literary evidence.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, fromthe 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 forthe 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.
Trade ReviewThe 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 *
Table of ContentsPart 1 Dramatic activities in early medieval Scandinavia - the evidence of archaeology and literature: the conditions for the development of drama; ritual "Leikar" and drama; the archaeological evidence; literary evidence for ritual dramatic activities. Part 2 Dramatic activities in early medieval Scandinavia - the folkloristic evidence: the application of folkloristic material; Scandinavian costumed processions, house visits and performances related to the Christmas period; costumed combat traditions in Scandinavia; the seasonal "mock-marriage" in Scandinavian folk tradition; the continuation of pagan ritual in Scandinavia; the transportation of dramatic folk traditions; the evidence for a shared tradition of "folk-drama" in the North Atlantic Scandinavian settlements. Part 3 The Eddas and drama: the Eddas as oral poetry; the dating of the extent texts of the Eddas; the forms of Eddic poetry; the prose in the Eddic poems - general; the dialogic poems in "Ljodahattr"; the prose in the mythological dialogic poems; the difficulties involved in a one-man performance of the dialogic poems. Part 4 Marginal speaker notation in the Edda and early manuscripts of drama: the marginal notation in the Edda and early manuscripts; other medieval Scandinavian manuscripts containing dialogues; European manuscripts of dramatic works 1000-1300; the use of the margin to indicate speakers in dramatic manuscripts; Scandinavian contact with European dramatic manuscripts. Part 5 Performances of poetry and song involving more than one participant in early medieval Scandinavia: the evidence regarding solo performance; oral performance involving more than one participant outside the Germanic world; oral performance involving more than one participant among the Germanic peoples; oral performances involving more than one performer in Scandinavia.
