A demanding Old Norse court-poetry form composed by named skalds (poets) attached to Scandinavian kings and chieftains, distinguished from the anonymous, formulaic Eddic verse by its dense alliteration, internal rhyme, fixed syllable count and elaborate kennings, praising and commemorating specific patrons and events.
Facts
Place of OriginNorway and Iceland, 9th-13th century, composed by named court poets (skalds). 1 StructureMost often composed in drottkvaett meter: eight-line stanzas of six syllables per line, with strict alliteration and internal rhyme in every line and dense kenning-based diction. 1 Notable ExampleEgill Skallagrimsson's skaldic verse, preserved in Egils saga. 1 Connections
Form Of Genre
Source The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics
Influenced By
Sources
1. The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics
Princeton University Press
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.