Handbook of Norse Mythology

John Lindow

Bloomsbury Academic, Jun 8, 2001 - Literary Criticism - 365 pages

Authoritative, comprehensive reference incorporating the latest research on tales, literary and oral sources, and the broad-reaching cultural legacy of Norse mythology.

The book describes the pagan origins of Scandinavia, the interaction between the Vikings and other Europeans, and the concept of time in Norse mythology, and gives a dictionary of deities, themes, and concepts. With 200 entries of up to four pages each, the dictionary includes both well-known characters like Thor and minor figures such as Gleipnir, the "fetter with which the wolf Fenrir was finally bound." It also includes further references about Viking and medieval Scandinavia, archaeology, etymology, the conversion of Iceland, other encyclopedias, and more.

About the author

John Lindow is professor of Scandinavian studies at the University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Handbook of Norse Mythology; Handbooks of world mythology, John Lindow; World Mythology
• Author: John Lindow
• Edition: illustrated, reprint, annotated
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic, 2001
• ISBN: 1576072177, 9781576072172
• Length: 365 pages
• Subjects: Literary Criticism / General; Reference / General; Religion / Comparative Religion; Social Science / Folklore & Mythology