Þorleifr Rauðfeldarson, known by the epithetjarlsskáld or jarlaskáld ("earls'/earl's poet") was an Icelandic skald in the second half of the 10th century. He was one of the court poets of JarlHákon Sigurðarson and composed drápur on both the jarl and King Sweyn Forkbeard, but little of his work survives. He is the protagonist of Þorleifs þáttr jarlaskálds, a largely fictional tale in the Flateyjarbók version of Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar en mesta, and is also mentioned in Svarfdœla saga and as a skald in a number of other sources, including Landnámabók and Skáldatal.
According to Svarfdœla saga, ch. 11 or 12, Þorleifr was one of twin sons of Ásgeir Rauðfeldarson of Brekka in Svarfaðardalur, born when their mother was out tending sheep. According to "Þorleifs þáttr jarlaskálds", written in the late 13th or early 14th century, he was the youngest of three sons. He went to Norway as a young man, but left after coming into conflict with Jarl Hákon over trading rights; Hákon burned his ship and killed the crew. He then went to Denmark, where he became a courtier of Sweyn Forkbeard's but returned to Norway to recite a níð verse at Hákon's court that caused the jarl's hair to fall out, after which Sweyn dubbed him jarlsskáld, "the earl's poet". After returning to Iceland he lived in Mýrdalur, but Hákon, with the assistance of his tutelary goddesses Þorgerðr Hǫlgabrúðr and Irpa, sent a wooden figure containing a man's heart that successfully killed him at the Alþingi in about 990. He was buried there at Þingvellir.[1] The final chapter recounts how a shepherd and unsuccessful skald named Hallbjǫrn sat on Þorleifr's grave-mound and Þorleifr came to him in a dream and taught him the art of poetry.[2][3] This story clearly incorporates many fantasy elements, and it is likely that Þorleifr spent longer at Jarl Hákon's court,[4] but his composition of the níð verse is reported in several sources, including Oddr Snorrason's Latin life of Óláfr Tryggvason, so that detail must have been current by the end of the 12th century.[1][2]
Poemsedit
Other than the níð verse on Jarl Hákon, which is probably genuine,[5] surviving work by Þorleifr jarlsskáld includes six probably spurious lausavísur,[2] the refrain from a drápa for King Sweyn that reportedly had 40 verses, and one and a half verses of a drápa for Jarl Hákon.[4] Of this Hákonardrápa, the full verse is:
^ abcJan de Vries, Altnordische Literaturgeschichte, 2 vols., Volume 2: Die Literatur von etwa 1150 bis 1300, Die Spätzeit nach 1300, Grundriß der germanischen Philologie 16, Berlin: de Gruyter, 1967, p. 429 (in German).
^John L. Greenway, The Golden Horns: Mythic Imagination and the Nordic Past, Athens, Georgia: University of Georgia, 1977, p. 34.
^ ab"Þorleifr Rauðfeldarson jarlaskáld", in: Rudolf Simek and Hermann Pálsson, Lexikon der altnordischen Literatur, Kröners Taschenausgabe 490, Stuttgart: Kröner, 1987, pp. 357–58 (in German).
^Jan de Vries, Altnordische Literaturgeschichte, Volume 1: Vorbemerkungen, Die heidnische Zeit, Die Zeit nach der Bekehrung bis zur Mitte des zwölften Jahrhunderts, Grundriß der germanischen Philologie 15, Berlin: de Gruyter, 1964, p. 177 (in German).
^"Þorleifr jarlsskáld Rauðfeldarson, Poem about Hákon 1" 2021-02-14 at the Wayback Machine, ed. Kate Heslop, Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages, 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
^"King Olof Tryggvesson's Saga", in: Samuel Laing, trans., The Heimskringla; or: Chronicle of the Kings of Norway, 3 vols., London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1844, OCLC 614354450, Volume 1, p. 424, "King Olaf Trygvason's Saga: Part II" 2019-12-01 at the Wayback Machine online at The Medieval & Classical Literature Library.
^Þórunn Hrefna Sigurjónsdóttir, "Mjög troðnir marvaðar mitt í dal Svarfaðar" 2024-02-28 at the Wayback Machine, Vísir, 6 December 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2021 (in Icelandic).
External linksedit
at Skaldic Index, archived from the original on 11 August 2011
"Þorleifs þáttur jarlaskálds" in modernised Icelandic
May 08, 2024
Þorleifr, jarlsskáld, this, icelandic, name, last, name, patronymic, family, name, this, person, referred, given, name, Þorleifr, Þorleifr, rauðfeldarson, known, epithet, jarlsskáld, jarlaskáld, earls, earl, poet, icelandic, skald, second, half, 10th, century,. This is an Icelandic name The last name is patronymic not a family name this person is referred to by the given name THorleifr THorleifr Raudfeldarson known by the epithet jarlsskald or jarlaskald earls earl s poet was an Icelandic skald in the second half of the 10th century He was one of the court poets of Jarl Hakon Sigurdarson and composed drapur on both the jarl and King Sweyn Forkbeard but little of his work survives He is the protagonist of THorleifs thattr jarlaskalds a largely fictional tale in the Flateyjarbok version of olafs saga Tryggvasonar en mesta and is also mentioned in Svarfdœla saga and as a skald in a number of other sources including Landnamabok and Skaldatal Contents 1 Life 2 Poems 3 In modern literature 4 References 5 External linksLife editAccording to Svarfdœla saga ch 11 or 12 THorleifr was one of twin sons of Asgeir Raudfeldarson of Brekka in Svarfadardalur born when their mother was out tending sheep According to THorleifs thattr jarlaskalds written in the late 13th or early 14th century he was the youngest of three sons He went to Norway as a young man but left after coming into conflict with Jarl Hakon over trading rights Hakon burned his ship and killed the crew He then went to Denmark where he became a courtier of Sweyn Forkbeard s but returned to Norway to recite a nid verse at Hakon s court that caused the jarl s hair to fall out after which Sweyn dubbed him jarlsskald the earl s poet After returning to Iceland he lived in Myrdalur but Hakon with the assistance of his tutelary goddesses THorgerdr Hǫlgabrudr and Irpa sent a wooden figure containing a man s heart that successfully killed him at the Althingi in about 990 He was buried there at THingvellir 1 The final chapter recounts how a shepherd and unsuccessful skald named Hallbjǫrn sat on THorleifr s grave mound and THorleifr came to him in a dream and taught him the art of poetry 2 3 This story clearly incorporates many fantasy elements and it is likely that THorleifr spent longer at Jarl Hakon s court 4 but his composition of the nid verse is reported in several sources including Oddr Snorrason s Latin life of olafr Tryggvason so that detail must have been current by the end of the 12th century 1 2 Poems editOther than the nid verse on Jarl Hakon which is probably genuine 5 surviving work by THorleifr jarlsskald includes six probably spurious lausavisur 2 the refrain from a drapa for King Sweyn that reportedly had 40 verses and one and a half verses of a drapa for Jarl Hakon 4 Of this Hakonardrapa the full verse is Hokun vitum hvergi hafizk hefr runnr af gunni fremra jarl und ferli folk Ranar ther mana THu hefr ǫdlinga odni etr hrafn af na getnum vesa matt af thvi visi vidlendr niu senda Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages ed 6 Hakon heard we under heaven no doughtier earl than thou but greater grew thy glory fram wars to govern Athelings nine to othin feeds the raven on flesh of fallen men spread far thy fame aye thou didst send forth Hollander s translation 7 In Norway s land was never known A braver earl than the brave Hakon At sea beneath the clear moon s light No braver man e er sought to fight Nine kings to Odin s wide domain Were sent by Hakon s right hand slain So well the raven flocks were fed So well the wolves were filled with dead Laing s translation 8 In modern literature editTHorarinn Eldjarn s Her liggur skald 2012 is about THorleifr jarlsskald 9 References edit a b Kate Heslop THorleifr jarlsskald Raudfeldarson Archived 2021 03 22 at the Wayback Machine Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2012 Retrieved 7 March 2021 a b c Jan de Vries Altnordische Literaturgeschichte 2 vols Volume 2 Die Literatur von etwa 1150 bis 1300 Die Spatzeit nach 1300 Grundriss der germanischen Philologie 16 Berlin de Gruyter 1967 p 429 in German John L Greenway The Golden Horns Mythic Imagination and the Nordic Past Athens Georgia University of Georgia 1977 p 34 a b THorleifr Raudfeldarson jarlaskald in Rudolf Simek and Hermann Palsson Lexikon der altnordischen Literatur Kroners Taschenausgabe 490 Stuttgart Kroner 1987 pp 357 58 in German Jan de Vries Altnordische Literaturgeschichte Volume 1 Vorbemerkungen Die heidnische Zeit Die Zeit nach der Bekehrung bis zur Mitte des zwolften Jahrhunderts Grundriss der germanischen Philologie 15 Berlin de Gruyter 1964 p 177 in German THorleifr jarlsskald Raudfeldarson Poem about Hakon 1 Archived 2021 02 14 at the Wayback Machine ed Kate Heslop Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2012 Retrieved 7 March 2021 Saga of olaf Tryggvason in Snorri Sturluson Heimskringla History of the Kings of Norway trans Lee M Hollander The American Scandinavian Foundation 1964 repr Austin University of Texas 1999 ISBN 0 292 73061 6 p 193 King Olof Tryggvesson s Saga in Samuel Laing trans The Heimskringla or Chronicle of the Kings of Norway 3 vols London Longman Brown Green and Longmans 1844 OCLC 614354450 Volume 1 p 424 King Olaf Trygvason s Saga Part II Archived 2019 12 01 at the Wayback Machine online at The Medieval amp Classical Literature Library THorunn Hrefna Sigurjonsdottir Mjog trodnir marvadar mitt i dal Svarfadar Archived 2024 02 28 at the Wayback Machine Visir 6 December 2012 Retrieved 7 March 2021 in Icelandic External links editAll extant poetry at Skaldic Index archived from the original on 11 August 2011 Jarlsnid text and translation ed Kate Heslop at the Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages project THorleifs thattur jarlaskalds in modernised Icelandic Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title THorleifr jarlsskald amp oldid 1210778465, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
