Northern Myths and Legends

• Indo-European and Germanic Peoples– Other groups: Celts, Finns, Saami, Slavs, “Skraelings”

• Prehistory and History of Germanic Tribes– Chieftains, warrior-farmers, and slaves– Heroic cultural identity– Völkerwanderung as their “Age of Legend”

• Oral Literature and Lore (verse ballads)• Art forms, cultural means of representation • Germanic Mythology and Ritual

Northern Myths and Legends

• History and Legend• Transformation of Oral to Written Literature:

– Pagan to Christian world view– Public to private consumption of literature– Familial/Tribal to Courtly context of literature– Flexible narration to fixed and polished text– Personal History to impersonal, factual history

• Massive changes in the understanding and expectations of literature.

Northern Myths and Legends

• Myth• The World of the Gods, the Cosmos, the

Beginnings and Endings of all Things

• Legend• The World of Heroes, of Kingdoms and

Dynasties, Superhuman Deeds and Events

• Saga• The World of Men, of Families and Settlements,

Feuds and Marriages, Battles and Voyages

Northern Myths and Legends

• Medieval History (1100-1400)• New Society, new culture, new religion• Old Cultural Traditions still important!• Germanic Legends adapted as Literary Epics

for new audiences:• Volsunga Saga – Icelandic, local, prose• Nibelungenlied – German, courtly, verse

Northern Myths and Legends

• Early Modern Period (1400 – 1600)• New Society, new culture, new religion!• Printing Press (1450) – new understanding

of literature and its social role and value. • Folklore can also generate legends, but of a

very different kind:• Faust and Eulenspiegel – simple prose,

bourgeois audience, contemporary concerns, moral utility now important!

Northern Myths and Legends

• Romantic Period (1790 – 1850)• German Cultural Identity and Nationalism• German Language and Literature• Brothers Grimm and Folklore Studies• Fairy Tales as the “Voice of the People” –

Lower Class uncorrupted by foreign influences, reflect ancient cultural traditions and values, preserve “unique” German lore in changing social and political environment.

Northern Myths and Legends

• Romantic Period (cont.)• German Nationalism (Bismark, 1871)• Cultural Focus and National Identity• Political Use of Legend and Myth

• Hermann, the Germanic Hero!• Richard Wagner and The Ring Cycle• Nazi Appropriation of Legendary Material in

the Third Reich.

Northern Myths and Legends

• Modern Period• New society, new culture, new media!• Entertainment and Escapist Fantasy:

• “The Hobbit” and Shire – innocence and virtue.• “Conan the Barbarian” – sex and violence.

• New Media allow new forms of presentation of ancient cultural material: comic books, animation, silent and feature films, board games, and interactive computer games.

Northern Myths and Legends

• Review Session on Final Class DayMonday, 27 April 20091:00 – 1:50 p.m. in Rm. 105

• Final ExamThursday, 30 April 20091:30 – 4:00 p.m. in Rm. 105