The Elder Edda Revisited: Past and Present Performances of the Icelandic Eddic Poems

• Other Authors: Nielsen, Eva (authoraut), Edmondson, Laura (professor directing thesis), Dahl, Mary Karen (committee member), Sandahl, Carrie (committee member), School of Theatre (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution)
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Florida State University
• Subjects: Theater; Iceland
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/FSU_migr_etd-2597; http://fsu.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/fsu%3A180869/datastream/TN/view/Elder%20Edda%20Revisited.jpg

The historical, national, and academic values of the Icelandic Eddic poems—or Elder Edda—have received much scholarly attention in the past. Yet, there is another aspect of these poems that deserves more exploration and consideration: that of their theatrical history. In this thesis, I argue that the Eddic poems were used in some type of dramatic performances in the early Middle Ages. My main criteria include the inherent dramatic dialogue of the poems as well as the suggested performer-audience relationships that lie within. While conducting an investigation of some basic medieval performance theories, including modes and places of performance, I will also examine the coexistence of the, relatively pagan, mythological Eddic poems and Christianity—which was introduced to the Icelanders at the turn of the eleventh century. Finally, I will utilize the abovementioned research and develop a contemporary production proposal of my own. In doing so, I will be drawing upon historical context, not in the interests of constructing a historically accurate production but to provide insight into the cultural context from which the poems emerged. Essentially, I argue that the Elder Edda holds a prominent place in theatre history, and this thesis will highlight the poems' past and present contributions to the field. A Thesis submitted to the School of Theatre in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. Spring Semester, 2005. March 16, 2005. Religion, Oral Tradition, Middle Ages, Theatre History, Eddic Poems, Iceland, Scandinavian Drama, Elder Edda, Norse mythology, Music Includes bibliographical references. Laura Edmondson, Professor Directing Thesis; Mary Karen Dahl, Committee Member; Carrie Sandahl, Committee Member.