Close examination of the significant theme of other-worldly encounters in Norse myth and legend, including giantesses, monsters and the Dead. A particular, recurring feature of Old Norse myths and legends is an encounter between creatures of This World [gods and human beings] and those of the Other [giants, giantesses, dwarves, prophetesses, monsters and the dead]. Concentrating on cross-gendered encounters, this book analyses these meetings, and the different motifs and situations they encompass, from the consultation of a prophetess by a king or god, to sexual liaisons and return from the dead. It considers the evidence for their pre-Christian origins, discusses how far individual poets and prose writers were free to modify them, and suggests that they survived in medieval Christian society because [like folk-tale] they provide a non-dogmatic way of resolving social and psychological problems connected with growing up, succession from one generation to the next, sexual relationships and bereavement.

About the Author
John McKinnell is Reader in Medieval Literature at the University of Durham, UK.

Reviews
An inspiring and readable study [.] invaluable for anyone working in the field of Old Norse studies. * SAGA-BOOK *
A very useful and thought-provoking book. * SPECULUM *
Thorough and impressive. [...] Gives thoughtful and precise readings of the Old Norse texts. * JOURNAL OF ENGLISH AND GERMANIC PHILOLOGY *



Book Information
ISBN 9781843840428
Author John McKinnell
Format Hardback
Page Count 302
Imprint D.S. Brewer
Publisher Boydell & Brewer Ltd
Weight(grams) 1g