(DuBois)
This course provides an overview of religious traditions in Scandinavia from the earliest records through the Viking Age and into the era of conversions (13th century). Religion is understood in its broadest sense to reer to ways of viewing the world, specific ritual procedures, narratives conneted with religious beliefs (myths), and literary and artistic works connected with this belief system. Evidence is drawn from archaeology, comparative mythology, medieval texts, and oral tradition.

(Mellor)
Two centuries after the conversion of Iceland to Christianity, the Icelanders wrote down some of the tales from the pre-Christian religion, not in order to propagate the old religion, but to insure the survival of Icelandic poetry so closely linked to these tales. This course is a survey of the old religion of Scandinavia with readings from some of the primary sources (eddic and skaldic poetry, Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, etc.). It also broadens the definition of mythology to embrace concepts applicable to Christianity, both the conversion and reformation and more recent literature and literary criticism.
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