Bókmenntar

Bókmenntar is the Icelandic term for literature. It denotes the body of written works associated with the Icelandic language and culture, including prose, poetry, drama, and critical writing. The tradition encompasses both original creative works and the study, translation, and reception of texts across time.

Historically, Icelandic bókmenntar has roots in medieval Iceland, with the saga tradition (Íslendingasögur) and the old eddic and skaldic poetry. These writings helped stabilize a vernacular literary culture and shape national identity. From the 13th to 15th centuries, writing circulated within religious and monastic milieus and later spread to urban centers as print culture emerged. The 19th century brought a national awakening that spurred a modern literary scene, which in the 20th and 21st centuries expanded to include diverse genres and increasing international readership.

Today, bókmenntar in Icelandic includes novels, poetry, drama, essays, and children’s literature. It has produced internationally known figures such as Halldór Laxness (Nobel Prize in 1955) and contemporary writers like Sjón and Arnaldur Indriðason, who have helped bring Icelandic storytelling to a global audience. The tradition remains closely tied to language, landscape, and history, while engaging with global literary trends and translation.

Scholarly study and preservation of bókmenntar are supported by institutions such as the University of Iceland and the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies. Texts are archived in national libraries, and criticism, philology, and translation studies help situate Icelandic literature within world literature.