Þrymskviða
Translations
in English
Old Norse Poetry
I
Overview of Þrymskviða
Þrymskviða (“The Lay of Thrym”) is a mythological poem from the Poetic Edda. The narrative centers on the god Thor and his quest to recover his stolen hammer, Mjölnir.
The poem tells a humorous and action-filled story in which the giant Thrym steals Thor’s hammer and demands the goddess Freyja as his bride in exchange for its return. To retrieve it, Thor disguises himself as Freyja and travels to the giants’ realm, accompanied by Loki.
Þrymskviða is a part of the Poetic Edda, preserved in the Icelandic manuscript Codex Regius.
Themes of Þrymskviða
- Restoration of order
- Comedic storytelling
- Role reversal
II
Read Þrymskviða in English
Þrymskviða has been translated into English multiple times, each reflecting different styles and interpretations, from early scholarly translations to more modern and accessible versions.
A new translation is currently in development to present the poem in clear, modern English while remaining faithful to the original meaning.
Þrymskviða -
Modern English Translation (in the works.)
— a clear and accessible modern rendering.
Þrymskviða - The Lay of Thrym
English Translation (1928) by Lee M. Hollander
— scholarly translation balancing accuracy and poetic form.
Thrymskvitha - The Lay of Thrym
English Translation (1923) by Henry Adams Bellows
— one of the most widely read modern editions.
Þrymskviþa - The Lay of Thrym
English Translation (1908) by Olive Bray.
— a classic early 20th-century translation with literary style.
Thrymskviþa eðr Hamarsheimt - The Lay of Thrym, Or The Hammer Recovered
English Translation (1866) by Benjamin Thorpe.
— one of the earliest English translations of the Poetic Edda.
Keep Exploring
Other Old Norse Poems
Explore other poems from the Poetic Edda and the wider Old Norse corpus.
