The Great Myths #20: Introducing Norse Myth & Reading the Voluspa

An episode from 9/15/22: For the next year or more, my series on The Great Myths will focus on Norse mythology. Tonight I introduce the subject and read one of its foundational texts, a poem from the Poetic Edda called the “Voluspa.” The Voluspa takes its form as a prophecy spoken by a female seeress, or Völva, who tells the story of the world—from creation through Ragnarok—in an astonishingly brief, but unforgettable, poem. The translation I read is by Andy Orchard. As other episodes on the Norse Myths are produced, they will all be collected here. The two translations of the Poetic Edda that I mention are those by ⁠Andy Orchard⁠ and ⁠Carolyn Larrington⁠. The two translations of the Prose Edda that I mention are those by ⁠Anthony Faulkes⁠ and ⁠Jesse Byock⁠. The essential reference books on Norse myth that I will be using for this series are John Lindow’s ⁠Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals & Beliefs⁠, Rudolf Simek’s ⁠Dictionary of Northern Mythology⁠, and Andy Orchard’s ⁠Cassell Dictionary of Norse Myth & Legend⁠. Don’t forget to support Human Voices Wake Us on Substack, where you can also get our newsletter and other extras. You can also support the podcast by ordering any of my books: Notes from the Grid, To the House of the Sun, The Lonely Young & the Lonely Old, and Bone Antler Stone. Any comments, or suggestions for readings I should make in later episodes, can be emailed to [email protected].

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