drápa

A drápa is a form of skaldic poetry from the medieval Norse world, typically a long panegyric composed to praise a patron or hero, such as a king or noble. The term is Old Norse, and its exact etymology is debated, but it designates this genre of praise-poems.

Form and technique: Drápa is usually written in dróttkvætt, a demanding alliterative meter that relies on kennings and heiti. A defining feature is the refrain: a line or stanza repeated after each stanza, creating a chorus-like structure that unifies the poem. A drápa may comprise many stanzas, each advancing the portrait of the patron while weaving mythic or legendary imagery into the praise.

Function and context: Drápur served political and social purposes in court culture. They were performed at feasts and assemblies to honor rulers, reinforce patronage, and strengthen the memory of the patron’s deeds. The poems also functioned as vehicles for preserving heroic ideals and the values of a given court.

Manuscript tradition and significance: The form is attested in the Icelandic medieval manuscript tradition and is discussed in skaldic poetry collections in sources such as the sagas and the Poetic Edda. In modern scholarship, drápur are valued for their complex composition, use of kennings, and insight into medieval patronage networks.

Relation to other forms: Drápa differs from lausavísur, which are shorter and more sporadic, by its extended length and refrain-based architecture, which gives it a more formal, cohesive structure.