Abstract
THE material with which the author here deals is in its special field unique. Not only do the dreams which she has extracted from Old Norse literature constitute the only record of its kind from among the old Teutonic peoples; but also they belong to both pagan and Christian times. It is thus possible to mark the change in thought implicated by the transition from one system to another. In this respect this material is probably a safer guide than the folk-lore with which the author has instituted a comparison. The sources from which the material is drawn are the Elder and Younger Eddas, the prose Saga and Skaldic poetry. The original Icelandic text, with translation, of a selection of the dreams is given in an appendix, and introductory chapters add a background in a brief account of early Icelandic history and culture.
Dreams in Old Norse Literature and their Affinities in Folklore.
With an Appendix containing the Icelandic Texts and Translations by Dr. Georgia Dunham Kelchner. Pp. viii + 154. (Cambridge: At the University Press, 1935.) 10s. 6d. net.
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[Short Notices]. Nature 135, 491 (1935). https://doi.org/10.1038/135491d0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/135491d0