Welcome to SCAND 330: Scandinavian Mythology!
During the first half of this course, we will closely examine the primary source materials for the study of Norse mythology, namely the Poetic and Prose Eddas. We will thoroughly immerse ourselves in the cosmology of this mythic world, reading tales of gods and goddesses, valkyries and dragons, giants and dwarves, elves and monsters, animals and hybrids, and even people.
As the course progresses, we will broaden our focus to consider other kinds of evidence for understanding Norse myth, including Latin and European texts, Icelandic sagas, skaldic poetry, archaeological evidence, runic inscriptions, and picture stones. We will then move beyond Norse mythology to study select stories from Finnish, Baltic, Sámi, and Greenlandic traditions, approaching these mythologies both comparatively and on their own terms.
We conclude by turning to the modern reimaginings and future trajectories of northern mythologies, considering their enduring relevance and importance today, both in the world at large and for understanding our own lives.
If you have any questions about this course, please contact the instructor: Professor Timothy Bourns at tbourns@uw.edu.
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The Birth of the Gods: Buri, Odin’s grandfather, is licked out of the ice by Auðumla, the primeval cow, who is being suckled by Ymir, the primordial giant (painting by Nicolai Abildgaard, 1790)