Sigurður Nordal
Encyclopedia
Sigurður Nordal was an Iceland
ic scholar, writer and ambassador. He was influential in forming the theory of the Icelandic sagas
as works of literature composed by individual authors.
Nordal studied Scandinavian Philology in Copenhagen where he received his MA in 1912. In 1914 he completed his doctoral thesis. He then went on to study philosophy in Berlin and Oxford. In 1918 he became Professor of Icelandic Language and Literature at the University of Iceland
. He retained this position until his death but was exempted from teaching duties in 1945. From 1931-1932 Nordal held the Charles Eliot Norton professorship
at Harvard University
. From 1951 til 1957 he was the Icelandic ambassador in Copenhagen. He was the editor-in-chief of the Íslenzk fornrit
series from 1933 to 1951.
Some of Sigurður Nordal's most influential works are:
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic scholar, writer and ambassador. He was influential in forming the theory of the Icelandic sagas
Norse saga
The sagas are stories about ancient Scandinavian and Germanic history, about early Viking voyages, the battles that took place during the voyages, about migration to Iceland and of feuds between Icelandic families...
as works of literature composed by individual authors.
Nordal studied Scandinavian Philology in Copenhagen where he received his MA in 1912. In 1914 he completed his doctoral thesis. He then went on to study philosophy in Berlin and Oxford. In 1918 he became Professor of Icelandic Language and Literature at the University of Iceland
University of Iceland
The University of Iceland is a public research university in Reykjavík, Iceland, and the country's oldest and largest institution of higher education. Founded in 1911, it has grown steadily from a small civil servants' school to a modern comprehensive university, providing instruction for about...
. He retained this position until his death but was exempted from teaching duties in 1945. From 1931-1932 Nordal held the Charles Eliot Norton professorship
Charles Eliot Norton Lectures
The Charles Eliot Norton Professorship of Poetry at Harvard University was established in 1925 as an annual lectureship in "poetry in the broadest sense" and named for the university's former professor of fine arts. Distinguished creative figures and scholars in the arts, including painting,...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. From 1951 til 1957 he was the Icelandic ambassador in Copenhagen. He was the editor-in-chief of the Íslenzk fornrit
Íslenzk Fornrit
Hið íslenzka fornritafélag, or The Old Icelandic Text Society, is the standard publisher of Old Icelandic texts with thorough introductions and comprehensive notes....
series from 1933 to 1951.
Some of Sigurður Nordal's most influential works are:
- Völuspá: A treatise on the Eddic poem VöluspáVöluspáVöluspá is the first and best known poem of the Poetic Edda. It tells the story of the creation of the world and its coming end related by a völva addressing Odin...
, regarding the poem as a coherent work by one poet. - Íslenzk menning ("Icelandic Culture"): Often considered Nordal's greatest work, this book was used as a standard text in Icelandic colleges.
- Hrafnkatla: A treatise on Hrafnkels sagaHrafnkels sagaHrafnkels saga or Hrafnkels saga Freysgoða is one of the Icelanders' sagas. It tells of struggles between chieftains and farmers in the east of Iceland in the 10th century. The eponymous main character, Hrafnkell, starts out his career as a fearsome duelist and a dedicated worshiper of the god...
, aiming to establish that the saga was a fictional work of art. - Samhengið í íslenzkum bókmenntum ("The Continuity of Icelandic Literature").
- Fyrirlestrar um íslenzka bókmenntasögu 1350-1750 ("Lectures on the History of Icelandic Literature 1350-1750"): This and the essay above aimed to establish that there was no gap in Icelandic literature, between the medieval literature and the 19th century romantic works.