“The fair draught of Óðinn”

Abstract

Icelandic poets in the 16th and 17th century had great interest in formal features such as rhyme, kennings, and periphrasis. Rímur poets made use of Eddic diction and imagery but the use of kennings was not limited to rímur; it can also be found in other kinds of poetry. Baroque delight in periphrasis and metrical complexity ensured a favorable reception for the renewed interest in dróttkvætt measure, with its aurally intriguing rhymes and complex kennings. The paper discusses the use of kennings and the connection between kennings, riddles and metaphors and also between kennings and Eddic and classical myths.