Norwegian literature

Norwegian Literature

Early Influences

Around 1030, Christianity came to Norway, bringing with it the Latin alphabet, which supplanted the runic alphabet. Norse or Norwegian literature began shortly afterward with Snorri Sturluson, also legitimately claimed as an Icelandic historian, poet and politician. Snorri sailed the summer of 1218 from Iceland to Norway, invited by King Haakon to Norway on his promise to bring Iceland under Norwegian over-lordship. He was proclaimed the King?s representative or lendermand over Iceland, but was not effective in consolidating his power, and became involved in numerous unsuccessful political intrigues. None-the-less, his recognition as the initial great in Norwegian literature is well deserved, based on his recording Norse mythology in the form of the Younger Edda or Prose Edda, and the Elder Edda, a book of poetic language providing an important understanding of Norse culture prior to Christianity. He was also the author of the Heimskringla, a history of the Norse kings that begins, in the legendary Ynglinga saga and continues to document much of early Norwegian history.

Related Topics:
Snorri Sturluson - Iceland - Norse mythology - Younger Edda - Prose Edda - Elder Edda - Heimskringla - Ynglinga saga

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This period continued down through the 14th century. A continuation of the Heimskringla, a history of Norway?s kings down to Magnus Law-Mender, was prepared by Sturla Thordson. The Norse Saga literature of the era (a saga is a historical tale) which has not been attributed to any specific author, captured what was previously an oral record.

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