Þórsdrápa (also Thorsdrapa; Old Norse: 'The Lay of Þórr') is a skáldic poem by Eilífr Goðrúnarson, a poet in the service of Jarl Hákon Sigurðarson. The poem is noted for its creative use of kennings and other metaphorical devices, as well as its labyrinthine complexity.
Narrative synopsis[]
The principal subject of the poem is a narrative relating as to how Þórr came by his hammer, Mjǫllnir, and, as is usually the case in stories with Þórr, how the jǫtnar came off worse. Behind it all, of course, is Loki, who gulls Þórr into a confrontation with the jǫtunn Geirrǫðr. With the aid of some magical gifts from the gýgr Gríðr, Þórr, accompanied by Þjálfi, defeats Geirrǫðr and kills a number of other jǫtnar.
The narrative begins with an account of the trickery of Loki in inciting Þórr to make war again against the jǫtnar; Þjálfi joins up with Þórr but Loki is altogether more reluctant to the point of not going. The narrative then details Þórr's (highly metaphorical) crossing of the oceans to Jǫtunheimr, with Þjálfi hanging onto his waist band. Being a drápa the poem is rich in praise of Þórr and Þjálfi's valour in making the difficult crossing.
They are immediately set upon by a gang of jǫtnar from the cave of Geirrǫðr, but Þórr and Þjálfi quickly put them to flight (although in Snorri's version of the tale Þjálfi is replaced with Loki). Þórr is then brought into Geirrǫðr's house whereupon the seat he is sitting in is raised to the ceiling crushing him, however he strikes the ceiling with the stick given to him by Grid and he descends crushing two gýgjar, daughters of Geirrǫðr, beneath him.
Geirrǫðr then invites Þórr to play a game, and throws a lump of molten iron at him which Þórr catches in his iron gloves. Geirrǫðr hides behind a pillar and then Þórr throws the iron through the pillar and jǫtunn.
Analogues[]
The myth related in the poem is also preserved in prose form by Snorri Sturluson in the Skáldskaparmál and a looser analogue is found in Saxo Grammaticus' Gesta Danorum. There are a number of discrepancies between Snorri's and Eilífr's versions of the myth; for example Þjálfi is not present in the story in Snorri's Edda while he has a prominent role in Þórsdrápa.
Other Þórsdrápur[]
Two (fragments of) poems are sometimes referred to as Þórsdrápa:
- three half-stanzas written by Eysteinn Valdason in the 10th century relating Þórr's fishing expedition to kill Jǫrmungandr;
- one stanza and two verses composed by Þorbjörn dísarskáld in the 10th or 11th century, the stanza consisting of a list of jǫtnar and gýgjar killed by Þórr.
Both were preserved only in the Skáldskaparmál (4).
References[]
- Jörmungrund: Þórsdrápa Old Norse text with English translation and detailed analysis.
- Entry in the Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages project.