German 1500:
Germanic Myths,
Legends, and Sagas

Spring term 2002-2

Instructor:
Dr. Elizabeth Ernst
Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures
University of Pittsburgh
January 7 - April 19, 2002
CRN: 22277
G24 Cathedral of Learning, MWF 3:00 - 3:50
Course web site: http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/ger1500.html
Instructor's office hours: MW 10:00-11:00 a.m., 1409 CL
Instructor's e-mail: Trithemius1@aol.com

Disability Statement

If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you are encouraged to contact both your instructor and the Office of Disability Resources and Services, 216 William Pitt Union (412) 648-7890 (412) 383-7355 (TTY) as early as possible in the term. DRS will verify your diability and determine reasonable accommodations for this course.

Reading and viewing assignments

Monday, January 7. General Introduction. Assignment: Examine this website carefully, then print out the syllabus (complete with assigned texts and visuals). This should take you approximately one half hour. Scan related links.

Wednesday, January 9. Introduction. The storytellers and the gods.

Friday, January 11.

Norse Creation Myth from Snorri's Edda.
Yggdrasil. A short poem by H. C. Andersen about the mythical ash tree beneath which the Norse gods held court.
Origin of the Underground People, folk legends from Iceland, the German Island of Amrum in the North Sea, and from the Erzgebirge Mountains.

Monday, January 14.

Hávamál: The Words of Odin the High One. Proverbs and wisdom from the Elder or Poetic Edda.

Wednesday, January 16.

Wild Huntsman Legends. Some of these widely disseminated tales may be survivals of stories about Odin (also known as Wodan) from Germanic mythology.
Gambara and the Longbeards (Langobards). A clever woman, with the help of the goddess Frea (Frigg), tricks Wodan (Odin) into blessing her tribe with victory.

Friday, January 18.

Thor's Home Page.
Thor's Hammer Möllnir. Please study all the photographs at this location. The headings include "Thor's hammer amulets," "Soapstone mold," and "Thor's hammer / Christian crucifix mold."
Thor and the Midgard Serpent from Snorri's Edda.
The Lay of Thrym from the Poetic Edda.

Monday, January 21. Martin Luther King Day. University Holiday.

Wednesday, January 23.

Ostara's Home Page. Information about the Germanic goddess of springtime.
Gefion's Home Page. This site contains two accounts, both written by Snorri Sturlason, the 13th-century Icelandic writer, describing how the Æsir goddess Gefion (also spelled Gefjon) created the Danish island of Sjælland (Zealand) by plowing out an enormous field from the Kingdom of Sweden.
Ertha, the Germanic Earth Goddess. The account, written by Tacitus in the year 98, of a north German deity variously named Ertha, Hertha, Nerthus, or Mother Earth. She may be related to the folkloric figures known as Bertha or Frau Holle.
Hertha Lake, a legend about the heathen deity Hertha. This may be the earth goddess mentioned by Tacitus in his Germania, written in the year 98.

Friday, January 25.

Heathen Monuments, legends about ancient alters, graves, megaliths, menhirs, mounds, pictographs, runestones, picture stones, standing stones, and other such monuments from the past. Read all the legends contained at this site.
Dolmens in Denmark. A collection of photographs.

Monday, January 28.

Superstitions. Supernatural beliefs prevelant in northern Europe as late as the mid nineteenth century. Many of these superstitions have their roots in the ancient religions of the Celts, Germans, and Slavs.

Wednesday, January 30.

The Merseburg Incantations. Two magic poems from pre-Christian Germany.

The first poem describes the activities of valkyrie-like sorceresses called "the Idisi" who have the power to bind or to free battling warriors. Following the narrative are the words of a brief incantation or charm chanted to free captured warriors.
The second poem tells how a number of goddesses unsuccessfully attempt to cure the injured leg of Balder's horse. Wodan, with his unfailing magic, knows the right charm, and the horse is healed. The narrative concludes with the actual words of an incantation used to heal broken limbs.

Balder's Home Page. Be sure to read the account of "The Death of Balder" published at this site.
Charms against sprains from the Orkney and Shetland Islands. These charms closely resemble the second of the Merseburg Incantations.

Friday, February 1. Beowulf, chapters 1-14.

Monday, February 4. Beowulf, chapters 14-26.

Wednesday, February 6. Beowulf, chapters 27-42.

Friday, February 8. Review.

Monday, February 11. Exam 1.

Wednesday, February 13.

Master Builder Legends from Scandinavia.
The Name of the Helper. Folktales of type 500, in which a mysterious and threatening helper is defeated when the hero or heroine discovers his name.

Friday, February 15.

Faust Legends. Stories about mortals who enter into contracts with the demonic powers.
Tannhäuser, the legend of the medieval German knight who found refuge in the Mountain of Venus, the pagan goddess of love.

Monday, February 18.

Werewolf Legends from Germany, from collections published in 19th century Germany.

Wednesday, February 20.

Night-Mares, legends about Mares, Alps, and other such spirits that cause nightmares.
"The Nightmare" by the Swiss-English artist Henry Fuseli (1741-1825). Notice the demon seated on the dreamer's chest in this famous painting.

Friday, February 22.

Water Spirit Legends. Stories about mermaids, nixies, and other supernatural creatures who live in the water.

Monday, February 25.

German Changeling Legends. Stories from German-speaking countries about how fairies, trolls, elves, and devils kidnap human children, leaving their own demonic offspring in their place.

Wednesday, February 27.

Abducted by Aliens. The aliens in these legends are not men from outer space but the underground folk: fairies, trolls, elves, and the like.
Midwife (or Godparent) for the Elves. A human helps deliver an elf-woman's baby, or serves as the elf-child's godparent. Stories of this type are found throughout northern Europe, and are classified as migratory legend type 5070 or Aarne-Thompson folktale type 476*.

Friday, March 1.

The Heathen Temple at Uppsala by Adam of Bremen. A description, written between 1072 and 1076, of the Norse temple dedicated to the gods Thor, Wotan (Odin), and Frey.
Saint Boniface and the Oak of Donar [Thor]. A Christian missionary cuts down a tree sacred to the German heathens.
Human Sacrifice in Legends and Myths. Read all the legends contained at this site.

Monday, March 4 - Friday, March 8. Spring recess.

Monday, March 11.

Hildebrandslied.
Amleth, Prince of Denmark, from the Gesta Danorum of Saxo Grammaticus. This account, written about 1185 but based on older oral tradition, describes the same players and events that were immortalized by William Shakespeare in his The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, written about 1602.

Wednesday, March 13.

Sleeping Hero Legends. Read all the legends contained at this site.

Friday, March 15. Njal's Saga, ch. 1-18.

Monday, March 18. Njal's Saga, ch. 19-35.

Wednesday, March 20. Njal's Saga, ch. 35-56.

Friday, March 22. Njal's Saga, ch. 57-75.

Monday, March 25.

Njal's Saga, ch. 76-120.
Thangbrand the Priest Goes to Iceland from the Heimskringla of Snorri Sturluson.

Wednesday, March 27. Njal's Saga, ch. 121-132. Review.

Friday, March 29. Exam 2.

Monday, April 1. The Saga of the Volsungs, ch. 1-12.

Wednesday, April 3. The Saga of the Volsungs, ch. 13-24.

The Sigurd Runestone. Please examine all the photographs linked to this site.
The Sigurd Portal. Please examine all the photographs linked to this site.

Friday, April 5. The Saga of the Volsungs, ch. 25-33.

Monday, April 8. The Saga of the Volsungs, ch. 34-44.

Wednesday, April 10. The Nibelungenlied, ch. 1-8.

Friday, April 12. The Nibelungenlied, ch. 9-16.

Monday, April 15. The Nibelungenlied, ch. 17-30.

Wednesday, April 17. The Nibelungenlied, ch. 31-39.

Friday, April 19. Review.

Tuesday, April 23. 12:00-1:50. (CL G24). Final exam.

Supplemental World Wide Web Sites

Click on one of the items below for a cyberleap into the world of mythology and storytelling.

General Background

Germanic Myths, Legends, and Sagas. Background information and links to sites related to this course.
The Germanic World. Links to sites dealing with the geography, history, and culture of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Scandinavia, the low countries, and England.
An electronic library of Folklore and Mythology Electronic Texts.
Indo-European Folk and Fairy Tales.

Specialized Topics

The Gods' and Goddesses' Home Pages

Vikings in America. Information about the Norse settlement in Vinland, including photographs of the reconstructed way station at L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, Canada.

Viking Ship Home Page. Illustrations, stories, facts, and links concerning the ship culture of the Vikings.

Summary of Pictorial Materials

After viewing a picture, you can return to this site by pressing the "Back" button on your browser.

Site	Description	Relevant Course Readings
Dolmens in Denmark	Ancient stone graves or monuments from various Danish locations.	Giants in Denmark from the Gesta Danorum of Saxo Grammaticus. Saxo believed that these monuments proved the former existence of giants in northern Europe.
The Fertility God Frey	A small copper alloy statue discovered at Rällinge, Södermanland, Sweden, and currently housed at the Swedish Statens Historiska Museet, Navavagen.	There are numerous references to Frey's powers as a fertility deity in the Eddas. Further, the account of the Heathen Temple at Uppsal written by Adam of Bremen between 1072 and 1076 describes an obscene statue of Frey sporting "an immense phallus."
Holger Danske	Statue of the sleeping hero in Kronborg Slot (Hamlet's Castle) in Helsingør (Elsinore), Denmark.	The sleeping hero migratory legend Holger Danske, as recorded by H. C. Andersen.
Odin One-Eye	A small statue of copper alloy found at Lindby, Skåne, Sweden, and now kept at the Statens Historiska Museet at Navavagen. Because the figure appears to have but one good eye, it is interpreted as a representation of Odin.	In Snorri's Edda we learn how Odin traded an eye for wisdom from the giant Mimir.
Picture Stone of Stora Hammars	A picture stone discovered at Stora Hammars, Lärbro, Gotland, Sweden. It is now kept at the Statens Historiska Museet at Navavagen.	The scenes on the stone cannot be identified with certainty.
Odin and Sleipnir	Detail, showing a rider on an eight-legged horse, from a picture stone found at Tjängvide on the Swedish island of Gotland. The picture stone is now kept at the Statens Historiska Museet at Navavagen, Sweden.	The conception of Sleipnir is described in Snorri's Edda. Odin and Sleipnir ("the best of all horses") are mentioned repeatedly in various myths and sagas.
Odin approaching Valhalla	Odin, Sleipnir, Valkyries, a fallen warrior, and Valhalla. The bottom half of the stone features a Viking warship.	Various passages in Snorri's Edda.
The Sigurd Portal	Doorposts from a stave church in Hylestad, Setesdal, Norway, that have been carved with figures illustrating various scenes from the story of Sigurd the dragon slayer. Compare the Swedish Sigurd Runestone, listed below.	This famous story is recorded in The Saga of the Volsungs, chapters 18-20, and Snorri's Edda.
The Sigurd Runestone	A large outcropping of rock in Sweden that has been engraved with figures illustrating the death of the dragon Fafnir and of the treacherous swordsmith Regin at the hand of Sigurd. Compare the Norwegian stave church doorposts carved with similar motifs and listed above.	This famous story is recorded in The Saga of the Volsungs, chapters 18-20, and Snorri's Edda.
Sutton Hoo	An artist's rendition of the famous ship burial in about 625 of a Saxon king near the present-day village of Sutton Hoo in England.	The funeral of Balder (Baldr), as recorded in Snorri's Edda, and King Scyld's funeral, as recorded in the prologue to Beowulf.
Thor, seated	A small copper alloy statue of Thor discovered at Eyrarlandi in northern Iceland. The seated figure is perhaps asleep. His beard appears to grow into the hammer-like object resting upon his knees.	Numerous stories tell of Thor and his hammer. Further, this statue may connect Thor with the various sleeping hero legends told throughout northern Europe.
Thor's Hammers	A collection of photographs of Thor's hammer amulets.	Various passages in Snorri's Edda and the Poetic Edda.
Thor's Hammer / Christian Crucifix Mold	This tenth-century soapstone mold, found at Trendgården, Jylland, Denmark, could be used to cast either heathen or Christian amulets.	Numerous sagas and historical accounts refer to the conflict between heathenism and Christianity.
Thor and the Midgard Serpent	This bottom picture on the narrow face of this runestone at Altuna, Uppland, Sweden, depicts Thor, his feet protruding from a boat, capturing the Midgard Serpent.	This episode is told in Snorri's Edda.

Course description

We remember their gods in the names of days (Wodan's-day, Thor's-day, and Frigga's-day); we celebrate, with an altered purpose, their great festivals at winter solstice and onset of spring; we use such disparate terms from their language as "law," "ransack," and "berserk"; and we name athletic teams after their intrepid pirates the Vikings; but still we know relatively little about the complex culture of ancient northern Europeans.
This course will present a cultural survey from about 500 B.C. to about 1500 A.D. of this folk. Our sources will be the people's own cultural artifacts: archaeological and anthropological findings, written sagas, oral ballads, traditional legends, customs, superstitions, place names, and language expressions. The course's aim is to show how these artifacts reflect the cultural and personal values of the people who created and used them.
Topics covered will include social organization, distribution of labor and wealth, the position of women and children in family and society, and the uses of supernatural beliefs to achieve worldly goals. Where appropriate, parallels will be drawn between modern northern European values and their formative myths from the distant past.
No prerequisites: All readings are in English.
Assignments and grading: Course readings will include Beowulf, the Nibelungenlied, selections from Icelandic sagas, the Eddas, migratory legends, and passages from Tacitus, Saxo, and other ancient historians. Two midterms, and a final exam will contribute respectively 25%, 35% and 40% to the final grade. Regular attendance is expected.
Estimated class size: 100 students.
This course is normally offered every semester.
German 1500 satisifies the College of Arts and Sciences requirement under the designation foreign culture -- regional.

Required texts

Selected materials from the World Wide Web.

The Nibelungenlied. Penguin. ISBN 0-14-044137-9.

The Saga of the Volsungs. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-06904-8.

Njal's Saga. Penguin. ISBN 0-14-044103-4.

Beowulf. Bantam. ISBN 0-553-21347-4.

Course requirements

Regular classroom attendance.
Timely fulfillment of reading assignments.
Three multiple-choice examinations.
If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accomodation, you are encouraged to contact both your instructor and the Office of Disability Resources and Services, 216 William Pitt Union, (412) 648-7890 (412) 383-7355 (TTY) as early as possible in the term. DRS will verify your disability and determine reasonable accomodations for this course.

Grading

Examination 1: 25% or 35%.
Examination 2: 25% or 35%. (The lower of the first two examinations will count 25%; the higher, 35%.
Examination 3: 40%.

Penalties

Unless make-up arrangements are made in advance, a missed examination will be assigned a score of 20%.

Revised January 3, 2002.

German 1500: Germanic Myths, Legends, and Sagas