September 22 - November 11
Thursdays, 5:45pm - 7:45pm
Instructor: Dr. Karl E. H. Seigfried
Newberry Library
60 W Walton St
Chicago IL 60610
$190 General Public
$171 Associate Members
$171 Seniors / Students
Norse Mythology: Exploring the Eddas is a new course at the Newberry Library that explores tales of gods and goddesses such as mighty Thor, mystical Odin, and mysterious Freya as it examines the myths that inspired Richard Wagner, J.R.R. Tolkien, Led Zeppelin and Marvel Comics. Class registration is open to the public; no previous study is required.
Course participants will make an in-depth examination of the Eddas, two medieval Icelandic texts that are primary sources of information on Norse myth. We will study recent translations of the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda in editions that are widely available as inexpensive paperbacks.
Weekly reading assignments have been carefully selected to provide a coherent and understandable path through these two sources. The course will help class members understand poetry that references a plethora of other sources – many of which have been lost. Class members will learn to evaluate the version of Norse myth presented in Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda, a multifaceted and complex 13th-century work.The course will incorporate elements of archaeology, comparative religion, cultural studies, history, literary criticism and linguistics. We will discuss primary documents, scholarly analysis (historical and current) and artistic interpretations. To underscore issues discussed in class, we will use selections from the Newberry Library Collection as well as an array of online media tools (photographs, art, video, etc).
We will place the Eddas in a wider context of historical events such as northern Europe’s conversion to Christianity. We will relate seemingly fantastic mythic elements to religious ritual – including shamanism (as described in saga literature) and pre-Christian Germanic practices (recorded in Roman sources). The class will discuss the role of sexuality in Norse myth, examine evidence for changing roles of women in Norse society, and consider the ways in which the Eddas represent an intermediate stage in the descent from religion to myth to legend to fairy tale to superstition.
The Newberry Library is across from Chicago's Washington Square Park (a few blocks west of Michigan Avenue) and is accessible by public transportation. An independent research library concentrating in the humanities with an active educational and cultural presence in the city, it is open to the public and houses an extensive collection of rare books, maps, music, manuscripts and other printed material.Questions? Contact Dr. Seigfried via his profile.
Click here to register at the Newberry's secure website.
