Haraldskvæði

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The Haraldskvæði ( poem to Harald ) or Hrafnsmál ( saying of the raven ) is a Scaldic song of praise for the Norwegian King Harald Fairhair ( Haraldr hárfagri ). The song is dated close to the Battle of Hafrsfjord in 872 and is considered to be the author Þorbjörn hornklofi . The name of the poem is of modern origin and comes from editors of the 19th century.

The song is of its kind outside of the usual Skaldic poetry. It is shaped by the metrical influences of typical Eddic meter measures and the integration of the mythological apparatus and elaborate Kenningar . From this, Felix Genzmer concluded that the Haraldskvæði, together with the Eiriksmál and Hákonarmál, form a group that are considered exponents of the early Eddic price song and form an intermediate position between the Eddic anonymous poetry and the Skaldic poetry with identifiable authors.

The Haraldskvæði comprises fragmentary 23 stanzas in which the meter of the Málaháttr predominates, but plus verses in the Ljóðaháttr and Fornyrðislag are included (stanzas 15-23). Hans Kuhn took the view that due to the metrical proportions of the song and its early emergence, West Germanic influence was present. Snorri Sturluson identifies Þorbjörn hornklofi as the author. Although he gives in the Skáldskaparmál in the two stanzas quotation as the author Þjóðólfr ór Hvini . Through the authority of Snorri, Þorbjörn is generally seen as an author in research. The main sources of tradition for the song are the Heimskringla ( Haralds saga hárfagra chap. 15, 18, 21), the Fagrskinna and the Haralds þáttr from the Flateyjarbók . The stanzas with the author assignment are divided as follows:

Stanzas Heimskringla Fagrskinna Haralds þáttr
1 - 6 6 Þórb. Þórb. -
7-12 Þórb. Þjóð. Þjóð.
13-14 14 Þórb. - Þjóð.
15-23 - Þórb. -

content

In the first two stanzas, the poet raises his ear and attention with a direct turn to the recipient. He represents the core of his poetry; the portrayal of Harald as a warrior king. He shares what he heard about the battle of the Hafrsfjord during a conversation between a raven and a valkyrie. The raven happily tells the Valkyrie (stanzas 3–12) how he has accompanied young Harald for a long time and how the battle came about; the attack by Kjǫtvi, the turn in Harald's favor, Kjǫtvi's flight and the gruesome work of the ravens as a battlefield or death bird. In verses 13 and 14 there is an insertion that takes place years after the battle and describes the marriage of Harald to the Danish king's daughter Ragnhild. In stanzas 15-23 Harald's court is depicted with gestures and attributes of contemporary high medieval aristocratic culture.

literature

Editions and translations
  • Felix Genzmer : The Edda. II poetry of the gods and poetry. Eugen Diedrichs Verlag, Jena 1912. ( Thule Collection , 2)
  • Finnur Jónsson (ed.): The Norsk-Islandske Skjaldedigting B: Save Tekst I . 1912 (reprinted by Rosenkilde og Bagger, Copenhagen 1973).
Research literature

Web links