skaldic

Skaldic refers to the tradition and body of skaldic poetry produced by skalds, professional poets in medieval Norse and Icelandic societies. Skalds served kings, jarls, and chieftains, composing verse to commemorate events, celebrate patrons, or critique rivals. The term covers both the poets and their poetry, which is marked by ornate diction, formal precision, and a high degree of allusion.

Form and features are distinctive. Most skaldic verse uses the dróttkvætt meter, characterized by strict alliteration, internal rhyme, and a compact, highly crafted language. The diction relies heavily on kennings—metaphorical compounds such as “whale-road” for the sea—and heiti, poetic synonyms. The content ranges from praise of rulers and victories to mythic allusions, genealogical claims, and sometimes satire or lament. The style is dense and interpretive, requiring linguistic and philological analysis.

Historical context and spread: Skaldic poetry flourished roughly from the 9th to the 13th centuries in Iceland, Norway, and Denmark. It formed an integral part of court culture and saga storytelling, often preserved in prose narratives and royal chronicles. With the late medieval shift in literary culture, the tradition waned, but its influence persisted in Icelandic saga poetry and later literary and linguistic scholarship.

Preservation and study: Much of what is known comes from medieval manuscripts and the prose surrounding poems in sagas and kings’ chronicles. In modern scholarship, projects such as the Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages compile, edit, and analyze the corpus, providing digital access and scholarly apparatus for interpretation.

Notable figures associated with skaldic poetry include Bragi Boddason, Eyvindr skáldaspillir, Thorbjorn Hornklofi, Sigvat Þórðarson, and Egill Skallagrímsson.