Elder Eddas

"Edda" is an Old Norse term that has been attributed by modern scholars to the collective of two Medieval Icelandic literary works: what is now known as the Prose Edda and an older collection of poems without an original title now known as the Poetic Edda. The term historically referred only to the Prose Edda, but this since has fallen out of use because of the confusion with the other work. Both works were written down in Iceland during the 13th century in Icelandic, although they contain material from earlier traditional sources, reaching into the Viking Age.

Codex Regius was written during the 13th century, but nothing was known of its whereabouts until 1643, when it came into the possession of Brynjólfur Sveinsson, then Bishop of Skálholt. At the time, versions of the Edda were known in Iceland, but scholars speculated that there once was another Edda, an Elder Edda, which contained the pagan poems that Snorri quotes in his Edda. When Codex Regius was discovered, it seemed that the speculation had proved correct, but modern scholarly research has shown that the Edda was likely written first and that the two were, at most, connected by a common source.

Historical Significance

The Codex Regius, written in the 13th century, became a key manuscript for the Poetic Edda. Its whereabouts were unknown until 1643, when Brynjólfur Sveinsson, Bishop of Skálholt, acquired it. Prior to its discovery, scholars speculated about the existence of an older Edda containing pagan poems quoted by Snorri. Modern research suggests that the Edda likely originated first, and the two works share a common source rather than one directly depending on the other.

App Features:-

📚 Full Text Access – Explore both the Poetic and Prose Edda in one app.
🗂 Organized Chapters and Poems – Navigate easily through stories, verses, and mythological references.
🔍 Search Functionality – Quickly find your favorite gods, heroes, or events.
📖 Offline Mode – Access all content anytime, anywhere without internet connection.
⭐ Bookmark Favorite Sections – Save your favorite stories for easy reference.