William Craigie: 6 books

In 1931, Sir William Craigie gave the Alexander Lectures in English at the University of Toronto entitled The Northern Element in English Literature with a focus on proving the existence of a Northern literary culture, comparing English literature with Northern literature, especially that of the Scottish and Scandinavians. The book is divided into four lectures.

The ninth and tenth centuries were a period of new development and great changes within the Scandinavian countries. The Viking expeditions brought a large part of the population into direct contact with war and battle, while the former petty kings disappeared, or lost most of their importance, before...

The native religion of the ancient Scandinavians was in its main features only a special form of that common to all the Germanic peoples, and this again was only a particular development of primitive beliefs and practices characteristic of the whole Aryan race. It is impossible to say how far back...

In the midst of the Atlantic Ocean, far enough away from mainland Europe to have consistent outside influence from it early on, rests Iceland. By the year 900 the small island country is flourishing with poetry; by 1120 its prose writing has surpassed the amount of British literature. Icelandic Sagas preserves the oral history of this fascinating country.

The native religion of the ancient Scandinavians was in its main features only a special form of that common to all the Germanic peoples, and this again was only a particular development of primitive beliefs and practices characteristic of the whole Aryan race. It is impossible to say how far back in...

The author, an expert in the Icelandic language and its rousing rìmur (epic poetry), traces Aryan myth and legend back to its roots—most of which was suppressed by the early Christians. Here are tales of Thor, Odin, and other gods; their objects of worship, temples, images, rites, secrets, and more.