Kviðukviða

Kviðukviða is a poem attributed to the Old Norse skald Egill Skallagrímsson. It is found in the Skáldskaparmál section of the Prose Edda, compiled by Snorri Sturluson. The poem is a kenning-filled eulogy for Egill's deceased son, Böðvarr. Böðvarr drowned in a shipwreck, and the poem expresses Egill's profound grief and anger over his son's death.

The poem's title translates roughly to "Ode to the Belly" or "Ode to Grief," reflecting its intensely personal and emotional subject matter. Egill laments his son's fate, employing vivid imagery and complex poetic devices characteristic of skaldic verse. He curses the sea for taking his son and expresses his own desire for death, emphasizing the depth of his sorrow.

Kviðukviða is considered a powerful example of Old Norse elegiac poetry. Its raw emotion and masterful use of kennings provide insight into the values and expressions of grief in Viking Age society. The poem's inclusion in the Prose Edda highlights its significance as a literary work and its connection to the legendary figure of Egill Skallagrímsson. The text itself is relatively short but packed with emotional weight and poetic artistry.