logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2024
28m 26s

Old Norse Literature (Radio Edit)

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode

Greg Jenner is joined by historian Dr Janina Ramirez and comedian Kae Kurd in medieval Iceland to delve into the world of old Norse literature. It's full of elves, giants, trolls, gods, deadly mistletoe and eight-legged horse babies. Anything goes in a world created from the decapitated body of a giant where a squirrel runs communications! But what was the ultimate purpose of these stories? Who wrote them? And what do they teach us about Viking culture?

Produced by Greg Jenner and Emma Nagouse

Up next
Yesterday
Marco Polo (Radio Edit)
Greg Jenner is joined in 13th-Century Venice by Professor Sharon Kinoshita and comedian Ria Lina to learn all about medieval traveller Marco Polo and his adventures in China.Born into a family of merchants, in 1271 a teenage Marco set out for the court of the Mongol emperor Qubil ... Show More
28m 4s
Jul 4
History of Coffee (Radio Edit)
Greg Jenner is joined by Professor Jonathan Morris and comedian Sophie Duker to learn all about the bittersweet history of coffee.Coffee is undoubtedly one of the most popular drinks worldwide, and we consume an estimated 95 million cups of the stuff everyday in the UK alone. But ... Show More
28m 11s
Jul 4
American War of Independence: Fourth of July Special
Greg Jenner is joined in the eighteenth century by Professor Frank Cogliano and comedian and actor Patton Oswalt for a special Fourth of July episode all about the American War of Independence. Also known as the American Revolutionary War, 2025 marks 250 years since the start of ... Show More
57m 34s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2023
Norse myths: everything you wanted to know
What myths did the Norse believe, and what influence did they exert on daily life? Was the trickster god Loki really that bad, and was Odin really that wise? And why is Christianity a crucial part of the story? Speaking to Kev Lochun, historian and broadcaster Eleanor Rosamund Ba ... Show More
58m 21s
Mar 2023
How Norse Myths Shape The Way We Think
Thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the legends of Thor, Odin and Asgard are familiar to millions today. Yet the histories of these myths are far richer than modern popular culture often implies. From Yggdrasil to Ragnarok, the seemingly unending tales of heroism, betrayal a ... Show More
51m 22s
Sep 2022
The Rise of the Vikings
September is Vikings month on Gone Medieval, as Dr. Cat Jarman presents a mini-series about her favourite, specialist subject. Over four episodes, Cat is taking a deep dive into the Viking age, looking at how it all started, how it all ended, and the stories we tell about those p ... Show More
32m 34s
Apr 2024
Welsh mythology: everything you wanted to know
What do white horses symbolise in Welsh mythology? What is the Mabinogion? Was King Arthur from Wales? And why do fairy folk hold a particularly sinister place in Welsh folklore? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Mark Rees takes listeners on a tour of the remarkable creatures and stories ... Show More
52m 31s
Apr 2022
The Vikings
Viking exploration changed the course of history in the northern hemisphere. As raiders and pirates, they dominated the seas of northern Europe for centuries. Their fearless and brutal reputations struck fear into hearts from Constantinople to Canada, while their folklore and myt ... Show More
56m 2s
Nov 2023
Viking Combat: The Violent Society of the Norse w/ Hurstwic
Support this podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/historyofvikingDuring the Middle Ages, seafaring Scandinavian marauders wrought havoc in lands both near and far—from Iceland to Finland, and Córdoba to Constantinople. These were warriors who belonged to an altogether viol ... Show More
57m 16s
Sep 2021
103. The Norse Sagas
In today’s episode, Tom and Dominic are joined by Dr Eleanor Barraclough as they sail across the Atlantic in a dragon-ship, bound for the epic world of the Norse sagas. What society did the Vikings set up in Iceland? How did they get to America? Why were they always so violent? * ... Show More
1 h
Feb 2018
They're Not So Awful After All, Ancient Greek Women in Herodotus' History
The ancient Greeks weren't all gods and monsters. Herodotus was the world's first historian, he travelled the region writing down stories of the recent past. We discuss how he accounts for some of the most famous myths of the Greek world, and some of the badass women he wrote abo ... Show More
29m 38s
Aug 2022
Viking Sex
Who was Loki having sex with? What is a horse penis cult? And were the Vikings as brutal as we think they were? Betwixt the Sheets today, Kate is joined by Dr Cat Jarman, one of the hosts of our sister podcast Gone Medieval. From the recollections of Ibn Fadlan to Icelandic sagas ... Show More
47m 24s