This course is an introduction to the religion of the Vikings as it is recorded in Old Norse and Scandinavian literature from the medieval period. You will learn about the different written sources and what they can teach us about pre-Christian religion in northern Europe in the Viking Age. The course surveys the primary collection of Old Norse poetry about the pre-Christian Scandinavian gods, the Poetic Edda. We will also work with the main collections of stories about the Old Norse gods in prose: Snorri Sturluson's Edda and Saxo's History of the Danes.
Old Norse Mythology in the Sources
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.7
(330 reviews)
Beginner level
Recommended experience
Flexible schedule
Approx. 6 hours
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What you'll learn
Identify the differences in literary representation of Old Norse myths in medieval literature and the pre-Christian religion
Understand the processes underlying the codification of Old Norse mythology, and how the literature was interpreted in Christianity
Describe the key elements and features of Old Norse mythology and understand how Old Norse mythology came into existence as medieval literature
Skills you'll gain
Details to know
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Assessments
4 assignments
Taught in English
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There are 4 modules in this course
In this module you will learn about the history and background of Old Norse mythology. You will gain insight into the source background to Old Norse mythology, the relevant historical developments in Scandinavia and Northern Europe, and the interplay between pre-Christian religion and Christian interpretation in the sources. You will be introduced to the Old Norse sources that inform our understanding of pre-Christian and Viking Age religion in Scandinavia: Eddic poetry, skaldic poetry, Snorri's Edda, and runic inscriptions.
What's included
16 videos1 assignment1 discussion prompt
In this module you will learn about the primary family of gods in Norse mythology, the Æsir. There are many Æsir but very few of them have stories attached to them. You will learn about the ones that appear most in Snorri Sturluson's Edda and in the Eddic poems: Odin, Thor, Loki and a few others.
What's included
12 videos1 assignment
In this module you will learn about the secondary family of gods in Norse mythology, the Vanir. They are hardly to be considered less important than the Æsir, but especially in Snorri's Christianized version of the mythology, the Vanir's role is diminished. Here you will learn about the primary Vanir: Njörðr, Freyr and Freyja.
What's included
10 videos1 assignment
In this final assessment module you will demonstrate that you have learned the important aspects of the course in Norse mythology.
What's included
1 assignment1 peer review
Instructor
Instructor ratings
4.7 (184 ratings)
Offered by
Recommended if you're interested in History
University of Copenhagen
Yale University
California Institute of the Arts
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4.7
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Showing 3 of 330
DH
5
Reviewed on Feb 4, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this course, well presented and easy to follow. Now I've got a much better understanding of this topic.
MM
5
Reviewed on May 26, 2024
Rich in material and thorough. The instructor knows his stuff and included material sources and place names to illuminate Norse culture. Really fun.
NH
5
Reviewed on Sep 19, 2022
Very enjoyable. I learned a lot. I appreciate the quizzes, which enabled me to consolidate the material so that I can remember it (after multiple attempts, which was very useful).
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