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The article explores the origin and significance of the name Beowulf, challenging previous hypotheses such as "bee-wolf" and proposing a theophoric interpretation with Bēow, drawing connections to Old Norse. Topics include the geographical reinterpretation of events in the Beowulf poem, the possible journey of the epic from Gutnish to Old English, and the suggestion that Beowulf's name reflects a conventional dithematic formation meaning "Battle-wolf," emphasizing martial qualities.

Among the accounts of cosmic beginnings in the eddic poem I V luspá i and in Snorri Sturluson's I Gylfaginning i is the quickening to life of the first humans, named Askr and Embla, generally understood as "ash tree" and "elm" (or "vine"), from logs encountered by the gods along the seashore. The occasional verse by Egill Skallagrímsson that was examined by Kure ([23], 161) comes at a point in the saga when Egill is well-settled in Iceland but has vivid memories of fairly recent viking expeditions to continental Europe. In response to the question of which situation Egill had found most trying, "Einarr spurdi Egil, hvar hann hefdi thess verit staddr, at hann hafdi mest reynt sik, ok bad hann that segja sér" ( I Egils saga Skallagrímssonar i 1933, 269), Egill, as so often, adopts an Odinic pose (Ódinn was also a spearman) but, typically, with a twist consonant with their amusing and entertaining talk ("thær rædur skemmtiligar"). Egill's idiosyncratic evocation of Embla and Askr also looks forward to one of the final chapters of the saga (chap. 85), in which the aged poet, now a weathered ash, sits by the hearth surrounded by I embla i - elm-ware - and is chided by the women for obstructing their work, a last, wry incongruity. Henning Kure ([23]) addresses the complex of problems associated with Askr and Embla from one of Egill Skallagrímsson's I lausavísur i , where he boasts of encounters in which he defeated large numbers of armed opponents - eight, eleven at a time. [Extracted from the article]

The article offers poetry criticism of a tone poem "The Oceanides" by Jean Sibelius, a Finnish composer, based on a subject outside Norse mythology is presented. Topics include information on the Fourth and Fifth symphonies, a period when the composer was having doubts to whether his music was ‘modern' when compared to that of his avant-garde contemporaries; and quasi-canonic rise and fall in the violin parts can readily be thought of as representing the continuous flow of waves.

The article analyzes the character of Hygelac as a figure of Norse antiquity represented in the epic poem "Beowulf." The author discusses Latin sources where the Nordic character also appeared, explores the historical development of the character, and analyzes King Hygelac's role in the history of the Vikings.

(Nonfiction. 12-18) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The book opens up the field of Old Norse mythology to the interested novice reader who does not have much background knowledge, and, on the whole, my impression is that this group of readers constitutes the main audience for the book. I can think of no better person to produce a book such as this than John Lindow, whose contribution to the study of Old Norse mythology over many years has been both solid and prolific - and continues to be so, as this little book proves. The author considers the possible reasons why Christian Icelanders maintained such an interest in the myths, coming up with four answers that probably combine in various ways and degrees: 1) The myths were good entertainment. [Extracted from the article]

The article reviews the book "The Norns in Old Norse Mythology," by Karen Bek-Pedersen.

A review of the book "Reflections on Old Norse Myths," edited by Pernille Hermann, Jens Peter Schjødt, and Rasmus Tranum Kristensen is presented.

The article reviews the book "From Asgard to Valhalla: The Remarkable History of the Norse Myths," by Heather O'Donoghue.

A review of the book "Across the Rainbow Bridge: Stories of Norse Gods and Humans," by Kevin Crossley-Holland, illustrated by Jeffrey Alan Love, is presented.

The article reviews the book “Meeting the Other in Norse Myth and Legend,” by John McKinnell.

Reviews the book "Meeting the Other in Norse Myth and Legend," by John McKinnell.