The Elder Edda, a compendium of poems, stands as a testament to the rich cultural tapestry of the Viking Age. Compiled in the Konungsbók or Codex Regius around 1270 A.D., these poems were crafted by various poets between 800 and 1100 A.D., with their initial transcription occurring between 1150 and 1250 A.D. They offer invaluable insights into Viking beliefs and culture, while also revealing traces of Christian Irish influence and historical events from the tribes that invaded the Roman Empire between 350-600 A.D.

Historical Discovery and Impact

The Elder Edda first garnered scholarly attention in the seventeenth century amid growing antiquarian interest in Europe's non-classical past. The complete collection was published during the late eighteenth century, a period marked by heightened romantic and nationalistic sentiments towards the tribal ancestors of European nation-states. This era saw the advent of philology, which spurred both popular and scholarly interest in such texts. By the nineteenth century, some of the lays had been made accessible to children in toned-down versions. Richard Wagner's adaptation of the Elder Edda resulted in one of the century's artistic masterpieces, although subsequent misuse by the Nazis for racial propaganda grossly misrepresented its tales. In the 1960s, poet W. H. Auden, alongside Old Norse scholar Paul B. Taylor, translated sixteen of these poems, continuing the Edda's cultural influence.

Authorship and Manuscript Origin

The origins of the Codex Regius manuscript remain shrouded in mystery, with no definitive knowledge about its specific Icelandic provenance. The scribe's elegant handwriting, similar to at least two other contemporary Icelandic scribes, indicates a connection to a well-established scriptorium. Early attempts linked the Elder Edda to the legendary Icelandic scholar, Saemundur Sigfússon the Learned (1056-1133), but the poems remain unattributed to any known individual. They were likely gathered into a collection in the thirteenth century, possibly a single generation before the creation of the Codex Regius.

Preservation and Publication

The manuscript's history prior to 1643 is unknown until it was acquired by Bishop Brynjólfr Sveinsson. Damaged even then, the absence of a copy before the loss of some leaves is regrettable. In 1662, the bishop presented the manuscript to the king of Denmark. Three years later, Danish scholar Peder Hansen Resen published the mythological poems Völuspa and Hávemál as part of an edition of Snorri Stulason's Prose Edda. The Arnamagnaean Commission in Copenhagen prepared the first complete edition between 1787 and 1828, ushering the Elder Edda into modern scholarly discourse.