Ragnarsdrápa
The Ragnarsdrápa or Ragnars drápa loðbrókar is the oldest surviving work of Skaldic poetry. It was written in the 9th century by the Norwegian skald Bragi Boddason over a pompous plaque given to him by Prince Ragnar to thank and honor the donor. The identity of Ragnar is unclear, according to Snorri Sturluson it was Ragnarr Loðbrók . However, this has not yet been adequately proven.
Lore
Parts of the Ragnarsdrápa have survived in the Snorra Edda . A few lines can also be found in the Fourth Grammatical Tract .
content
The poem itself belongs to the shield poems within the drápur genre (another representative would be, for example, Haustlöng ). Four scenes of the given shield are described, which were probably carved and colored, or even just painted on. The scenes are:
- the fight of Hamðir and Sörlis in Jörmunreks hall (which can also be found in Hamðismál and Guðrúnarhvöt )
- the fight of Thor with the Midgard serpent (also known as "Thor's fish haul" and can also be found in medieval pictorial representation)
- Hild and the Hjadningenkampf
- the myth of Gefjon , which separates Zealand from Sweden with its plow (this is referred to in Gylfaginning , among others )
style
What is remarkable about the Ragnarsdrápa is that, although it is the earliest surviving skaldic poetry, almost all the characteristics are already present that will make this form of poetry in the next few centuries.
According to the shape of Drapa is the poem in Dróttkvætt -Metrum, and also uses the traditional Kenningtechnik in all its complexity. Not only are the two-part Kenningar used (three- and four-part), which are far more complicated than those found in Eddic poetry , but also a lot of mythological knowledge is required for deciphering, and riddle kennings ( ofljóst ) are also used.
Only the distribution of the inner rhyme is not yet carried out as strictly in this poem as it is in the later Skaldik. The poem also fulfills the requirements of this type of price song for the structure: the Ragnarsdrápa contains the required refrain, which here means that the shield is a gift from Ragnar.
Poet and tradition
Research was not always completely in agreement on Bragi's role: inventor of Skaldic poetry (or at least of the dróttkvætt -trum), or just the first well-known representative? It is certain that there were also other, earlier skalds (the Skáldatal mentions some, of which, however, no works have survived), but the exact contribution of Bragi to the poetry is not known.
The perfection with which most of the stylistic devices, especially the Kenningar, are already used in the Ragnarsdrápa, is particularly striking. A longer development phase of the Skaldik, for example in comparison with later works, can hardly be seen here, and one must assume that this, both metrically and linguistically, has developed over a long time in order to finally reach maturity with which she presented to Bragi.
literature
- Rory McTurk: Ragnarsdrápa. In: Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde (RGA). 2nd Edition. Volume 24, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 2003, ISBN 3-11-017575-4 , pp. 112-117.
- Edith Marold : Ragnarsdrápa and Ragnarssage. Attempt to interpret the Ragnarsdrápa. In: Bela Brogyanyi, Thomas Krömmelbein (Ed.): Germanic Dialects. Linguistic and Philological Investigations. FS Heinz Klingenberg on his 50th birthday. (= Amsterdam Studies in the Theory and History of Linguistic Science. Series IV, Current Issues in Linguistic Theory , 38). John Benjamin Publishing Company, Amsterdam / Philadelphia 1986, ISSN 0304-0763, ISBN 90-272-3526-0 , pp. 427-457.
- Jan de Vries Old Norse literary history. (= Outline of Germanic Philology, 15/16). 3rd, unchanged edition in one volume with a foreword by Stefanie Würth , Walter de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 1999, ISBN 3-11-016330-6 , pp. 125ff.
- EOG Turville-Petre: Skaldic Poetry. Clarendon, Oxford 1976.