EDDIC & SKALDIC VERSE

When composing Eddic and Skaldic poetry, one must keep in mind that these are meant for oral delivery as opposed to written. The aspect of your soul that governs the poetic inspiration is "Oðr". Oðr is also the aspect which makes speech and communication possible.

When you compose verse (Eddic or Skaldic) you must open a path for the oðr to freely flow, in the manner which it is meant, spoken word. If you have ever read some verse, then read it to someone else, you realize how much better it sounds, and how much more meaning is just contained in the sound and rhythm of the voice.

Verse and poetics, are the perfect medium for the preservation, and the exploration of our ancient lore. It is a perfect balance of the Æsic and the Vanic. The balance is achieved through the communication of a thought (Æsic) rising from the sub-conscious (Vanic) taking a structured form (Æsic) that is harmonious and rhythmic (Vanic). A balance of the conscious and the sub-conscious structured to contain hidden wisdom in its verse (Vanic) until it is willed forth through communication (Æsic).

Introduction To Eddic Verse

The primary distinguishing feature of the Norse poetry is alliteration. Alliteration is the occurrence of the same sound being at the beginning of several syllables, which has the effect of highlighting certain words.

Another major feature in Norse verse, is the use of kennings. A kenning is a poetic, or sometimes riddling reference to a specific word. Examples would be:
wrath-of-Oðin = battle (Helgakviða Hundingsbana I-verse 12) breaker-of-rings = a generous ruler, hero, because before the use of coins became popular in the north, arm rings were broken in order to exact equal payment (Helgakviða Hundingsbana I-verse 17) wave-steads = ship (Helgakviða Hundingsbana I-verse 27)

Norse verse comes in two main types Eddic, and Skaldic. Eddic verse is composed in simple language, and mere. The Eddic poems are usually mythological, or heroic in content.

Skaldic verse is usually created as a tribute to a specific Jarl or King. Skaldic verse follows very strict rules, with a great deal of kennings, and often hard to understand.

The Metre Used in Verse

Fornyrðislag

"Old Lore Metre"

The oldest type of Eddic verse is the "Fornyrðislag" (pronounced FORT-near-this-lahg). Fornyrðislag normally consists of eight lines which may be Ljóðlinur, braglinur, or visourð. Each line usually contains a complete phrase or breath-group. The two half-lines are usually syntactically independent. Each line consists of two stressed syllables, with a varying number of unstressed syllables. The arrangement of the stressed and unstressed syllables, with respect to each other, can be a number of different rhythmic patterns (metre), but rarely are there more that two stressed syllables in one line. In fornyrðislag alliteration takes place in each pair of lines, usually to emphasize those words.

In fornyrðislag the structural alliteration may involve two, three, or four stressed syllables in each pair of lines. In this case, the third syllable is known as höfuðstafur (head-stave). The first two stressed syllables are known as stuðlar ("props", or "supports"). The fourth stressed syllable never participates in the alliteration. Below is an excerpt from Voluspa containing verse:

Ár var alda
þar er Ymir bygði
vara sandr né sær
né svalar unnir,
jord fannsk æva
né upphiminn,
gap var ginnunga
en gras hvergi.

English:

Early ages
there that Ymir settled,
was not sand nor sea
nor sea-waves chilling,
earth was never
nor up-heaven,
Ginnung-Gap was then
but grass nowhere.)

Ljóðaháttur

"Magic, or Song Metre"

Ljóðaháttur (pronounced Lee-OH-the-how-turr) may have been developed as a means of "magical", or cult oriented poetry. It makes use of parallels and repetition of expression.

Ljóðaháttur metre is constructed by pairs of lines linked by alliteration, followed by a third line which is called the "full line". Lines one, two, four, and six are normal fornyrðislag pairs containing three to seven syllables. Lines three and six are longer with five to nine syllables with three stressed syllables This "full-line has its own alliteration with two or three stressed syllables. Ljóðaháttur stanza is two segments of three lines. Below is an excerpt from Havamal which is in Ljóðaháttur style:

Byrði betri
berrat maðr brautu at
en sé mannvit mikit;
vegnest verra
vegra hann velli at
en sé ofdrykkja ols.

English:
Burden better
bears none abroad with him
than a cool discretion;
with worser food
will fare you never
than a big load of beer.

Skaldic Verse

Skaldic verse is much more difficult because the rules are more complex. The basic form is called dróttkvætt (Court Metre). It consists of eight lines, much like fornyrðislag, with a syntactic break in the middle. There are three important differences though.

1)There are three stressed syllables instead of two. Each even line ends with a "trochee" and begins with a stressed syllable.

2)The number of syllables per line are more predictable, usually six, rarely five, or more.

3)Odd lines are double alliterated, which may occur in the beginning of any two of the three stressed syllables, but in the case of the höfuðstafur is always the first stressed syllable.

In every even line, two of the three stressed syllables form a full rhyme called aðalhending (perfect hitch). In every odd line, two of the stressed syllables form a consonance called skothending (half-hitch). These may be word-final (high-sigh), or word-internal (freeman-treeline)

Another form of the dróttkvætt is the "hrynhenda" (tumbling or falling metre). The difference is that hrynhenda has four stressed syllables instead of three.

Yet another variation is the "draughenda". Draughenda is a dróttkvætt stanza with an unstressed syllable before or after the first stressed syllable.

Before you begin to compose either Eddic or Skaldic it is important to read as much of the existing materials, which of course is a never-ending task. This is important for three reasons:
1)To get a feal for it.

2)To know the subjects written about in the typical Eddic and Skaldic verse

3)To get to know how to use the language, and kennings used in the works.