Rímur: A New Series

Rímur (sg. ríma) are long, alliterative, rhyming poems popular from the 14th to the 19th century in Iceland. A single ríma may run between 50 to 60 stanzas of four lines. Rímur may include more than five ríma; each ríma may be in a different meter. Often neglected in favor of Eddic and skaldic poetry, rímur provide an invaluable link between Old and modern Icelandic. They are also a vibrant genre for retelling stories from the legendary, chivalric, and family sagas.

This blog series will feature short translations and analyses on a variety of rímur, focusing on their literary and linguistic value.