After more than a decade as a full-time Instructor in Scandinavian Studies at such institutions as the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of California-Berkeley, and the University of California-Los Angeles, Dr. Jackson Crawford became a full-time public educator in all things Old Norse in 2020. Among other accomplishments, he has built up a large YouTube following and served as an Old Norse language and runes consultant on major multimedia projects, including some of today's most popular films and video games. He is currently a Resident Scholar at the Center of the American West at the University of Colorado Boulder. Learn more at www.jacksonwcrawford.com.
"Hervarar saga and Hrólfs saga kraka are among the best of the
Icelandic mythical heroic sagas and are both highpoints of medieval
literature. Jackson Crawford’s new translation is eminently
readable and with its accompanying Introduction and notes will
serve as an excellent introduction to this fascinating
material."
—M. J. Driscoll, Professor of Old Norse Philology, University
of Copenhagen
"Jackson Crawford’s devoted readership will welcome this new
translation of two lesser-known sagas, which in every way lives up
to the standards his previous translations from Old Norse have set.
These vivid 'sagas of ancient times,' or fornaldar sǫgur, will
be of particular interest to teachers and students
of Beowulf."
—Martin Chase, Professor Emeritus of English, Fordham
University
"The two sagas of the title, Hervor and
Heidrek and Hrolf Kraki and His Champions, need little
comment here: while perhaps not well-known among sagas of the
mythical type, they feature all the characteristics that make sagas
entertaining and engaging reading, and also afford the reader a
glimpse into the complexities of medieval family life, political
rivalries, and the overall landscape of a still largely
pre-Christian society. The quality of the translation, which
successfully captures the poetry of the prose and the alliteration
of its verse, is a testament to Dr. Crawford’s careful crafting of
the original Old Norse into highly readable English, with the
meticulous attention and skill evident in all his translations. Of
at least equal interest to the reader, however, is Dr. Crawford’s
Introduction to the texts. Without entering deeply into literary
interpretation or analysis, Dr. Crawford provides a commentary the
breadth and scope of which truly attests to his vast and
comprehensive knowledge of not only the language and original
texts, but also of the culture, history, values, and unique
character of medieval Norse society. The Introduction identifies
parallel texts and additional source materials, and includes a
helpful list of resources for further reading; the notes on the
language provide adequate explanation so as to be accessible to
readers with no background in Old Norse, and the pronunciation
guide is a useful addition. Overall, the Introduction is thorough
in its information, covering a wide range of topics from
observations about representations of women in the sagas to a
commentary on poetic meter and stanzaic structure. While the sagas
can be read and enjoyed without the benefit of reading the
Introduction, the background and insight the reader gains through
it serves to enrich the experience of reading the sagas, and is a
valuable resource as an introduction to Old Norse sagas in general.
With its fine balance of an informative Introduction and two
exceptional saga translations, Two Sagas of Mythical Heroes:
Hervor and Heidrek and Hrolf Kraki and His Champions is a
publication that will appeal to both the novice and the experienced
reader of Old Norse sagas."
—Vicki J. Grove, Teaching Professor of Distinction, Russian and
Nordic Programs, University of Colorado Boulder
"[T]his accessible and affordable edition with its useful front and
back matter offers a great introduction to the world of the
fornaldarsögur. It is my hope that other, similarly accessible
publications will follow."
—Rebecca Merkelbach, University of Tübingen, in The Medieval
Review
"Jackson Crawford's works present Norse literature in a way that is
engaging, approachable, and worth rereading multiple times . . . I
highly recommend.”
—Phillip Fitzsimmons, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, in
Mythlore
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