The Anglo-Saxons, just as the Norsemen, Goths, and other ancient Germanic peoples, were very fond of riddles and poetry. The Old English gnomic poetry passed the test of time through, most notably, the Exeter Book. This early medieval English manuscript constitutes the most voluminous body of work of Old English poetry ever written down. Subsequently,…
It is no secret that J.R.R. Tolkien found inspiration in many cultures and mythologies from all across the world prior to finishing writing the highly critically acclaimed ‘Lord of the Rings’ high-fantasy trilogy (1954–1955) and its predecessor, ‘The Hobbit’ (1937). Amongst his most notable influences it is very much indicated to mention the Norse culture…
The Icelandic sagas, written during the High Middle Ages, constitute a significant body of work of the medieval Icelandic literature, alongside the eddas and the skaldic poems. These manuscripts were mostly penned by anonymous authors, whose identities were either not revealed or remained very much obscure in the passing of time. However, these medieval literary…
The highly popular Gothic horror character created by Bram Stoker in his 1897 novel entitled ‘Dracula’ might have actually been inspired from an Irish folk legend instead of the historical prince of Wallachia Vlad III Dracul (Vlad III the Dragon) who reigned during the late Middle Ages. While the most popular theory regarding Dracula’s origin…
The Old Norse literature comprises a variety of masterpieces, some of which have been well preserved to these days. These manuscripts have influenced many writers in the passing of time, most notably perhaps the works of J.R.R. Tolkien (specifically the well known ‘Lord of the Rings’ high fantasy trilogy and its predecessor, ‘The Hobbit’). Moreover,…
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