Watch this wonderful documentary on Hildegard von Bingen -
Documentary: "Hildegard of Bingen: Authorship and Stylometry" [HD] from Mike Kestemont on Vimeo.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Uit die argief: The Hobbit se dwerge – Durin se volk
Bilbo se mede avonturiers in The Hobbit is Dwerge en die towenaar Gandalf. Alhoewel meeste mense wat al opgelees het oor die inspirasie agter hierdie name in The Hobbit weet dat hierdie name uit die Eddasgeneem is, is dit steeds interessant om na die gedig te kyk waarin meeste van hierdie name voorkom en ook wié Durin in die Noorse mitologie is.
Die Eddas
 |
| Depiction of Andvari by F. Von Stassen (1914) |
Die twee Eddas is die tekste waarin meeste van die Noorse mitologie opgeteken is. Die eerste gedig in die Ouer Edda is die Völuspá, en vertel van die skepping van die kosmos, die gode en die gebeure by Ragnarok; die einde (en hergeboorte) van die wêreld. ’n Gedeelte van hierdie gedig vertel van die dwerge en lys hulle by naam. Die Codex Regius(die manuskrip waarin die Ouer Edda opgeteken is) beskryf die skepping van die heer van die dwerge uit die bloed van Brimir en die ledemate van Bláin (Lindow2008:99). In die Gylfaginning in die Jonger Edda word vertel dat die dwerge geskep is uit maaiers wat in die lyk van die reus Ymir was. Een van die strofes in die Dvergartál; die lys van die dwerge, lees as volg:
Zuchter werd als meest imposante geschapen,
een op-en-top dwerg, Slaper was tweede.
Zij vormden velen, naar het beeld van de mens,
Uit aarde, die dwergen, zoals Slaper het zei...
(Otten 2007:28)
([Larrington 2008:5] se Engelse vertaling lees as volg:
Then Motsognir became the greatest of
all the dwarfs, and Durin another;
Many manlike figures they made,
dwarfs from the earth, as Durin recounted.)
In Tolkien se werke word daar na die dwerge* verwys as “Durin se volk”, wie duidelik vernoem is na Durin in die Noorse mitologie en, in The Hobbit, sê Thorin Oakenshield (die leier van die dwerge wat op die avontuur gaan): “Durin, Durin!... He was the father of the fathers of the eldest race of Dwarves, the Longbeards, and my first ancestor: I am his heir.” (Tolkien 2010:50)
Tolkien gee ook sy dwerge name uit die Dvergartál. Die volledige lys van name bevat egter heelwat meer as dié wat in die verhaal voorkom. Die naam “Gandalf” word ook as ’n naam van ’n dwerg gegee en ’n paar van die name bevat “alf” (elf) wat net wys hoe vaag die onderskeid tussen dwerge en elwe in die Noorse mitologie is. Thorin Oakenshield se naam bestaan ook uit twee van die dwergname wat in die gedig gegee word. Die dwerge wat hier genoem word, word na verwys as Durin se afstammelinge en “die mense van Lofar”. Hier is die volledige lys name:
Die dwerge se name
In Larrington se vertaling word die name van die dwerge as volg vertaal (daar kan gesien word in die volgende vertalings hoe sommige van die betekenisse van die name nie heeltemal duidelik is nie):
New-moon and Dark-of-moon, North and South
East and West, Master-thief, Delayer,
Bivor, Bavor, Bombur, and Nori,
An andAnar, Great-grandfather and Mead-wolf.
Liquor and Staff-elf, Wind-elf and Thrain,
Known and Thorin, Thror, Colour and Wise,
Corpse and New-advice: now I have rightly
- Regin and Counsel-sharp – reckoned up the dwarfs.
Fili and Kili, Foundling and Nali,
Haft anfVili, Hanar and Svíur,
Frar and Hornborer, Fræg and Sea-pool,
Loamfield, Iari, Oakenshield.
Time it is to tally up the dwarfs in Dvalin’s lineage,
the people of Lofar,
those who sought out from the stony halls
the dwelling of Loamfield on Iorovellir.
There were Draupnir and Dolgthrasir,
Greyhair, Mound-river, Lee-plain, Glow,
Elf and Yngvi, Oakenshield.
Fialar and Frosty, Finn and Betrayer;
they’ll be remembered while mankind endures,
the long tally of ancestors of Lofar.
(Larrington 2008:5-6)
Otten (2007:28-9) se vertaling van dieselfde gedeelte lees as volg:
“Wassende en Slapende Maan, Noord en Zuid,
Oost en West, Meesterdief en Draler,
Bibber en Glitter, Papzak en Schrompel,
Vriend en Vechter, Oeropa en Medewolf.
Slokje, Toveralf, Windalf en Smachter,
de Makke en Durfal, Tochtig, Wijs en Blos,
het Lijk en Nieuwe Raadgever, nu heb ik de dwergen
- Heerser en Wijs Besluit – goed opgesomd.
De Vijl en de keil, Vondeling en Naald,
de Kruk en de Sloof, Kraaier en Draaier,
de Rappe, Hoornborer en de Fameuze, Van ’t Strand,
Uit ’t Leem, In ’t Zand, Met ’t Eikenschild.
Nu zal ik uit Dralers leger de dwergen
tot Roemrijk opsommen voor het mensenkroost.
Zij zochten een plek ver van de aarde vol stenen
in de leemvelden bij de Zandvlakten.
Je had Druppelaar en Dreiger,
Eenoog. Heuvelspoor, Windstille Wei, Gloeier,
de Pletter, de Weger, Schaver en Oeropa.
Alf en de Spies, Met ’t Eikenschild,
Spieder, Vriezer, de Lap en Bedrieger;
moger bekend blijver zolang de mensheid bestaat
de lange rij voorouders tot Roemrijk.”
’n Ander vertaling van hierdie strofes kan in John Rateliff se The History of The Hobbit:Part Two Return to Bag-End(2008) gevind word. Hy gebruik die Oudnoorse teks deur FinnurJónsson (1905), en die vertaling van die teks deur Ursula Dronke, wie se werk wonderlik, maar hoogs geannoteerd is en nie bedoel is vir ligte leesgoed nie.† Ek gee slegs die Engelse teks hier, met die dwerge van The Hobbit se name wat na die vertaling gegee word:
There did Mootsucker
become most esteemed
of all dwarfs,
andDoorward next.
They fashioned many
figurines,
these dwarfs, out of earth,
asDoorward told:
‘New Moon and No Moon,
North and South,
East and West,
All-thief, Dawdler (Dwalin),
Trembler (Bifur), Trumbler (Bofur),
Tubby (Bombur), Shipper (Nori),
Friend and Fighter,
 |
| Een van die nuwe film se plakkate |
Old Father (Oin), Mead Wolf,
Potion and Sprite Elf (Gandalf),
Wind Elf, Yearner,
Docile and Darer (Thorin),
Thrive, Clever and Colour,
Corpse and New Counsellor –
now I have the dwarfs
- Power and Plan-wise –
Correctly counted.
Trunky (Fili), Creeky (Kili),
Found, Needly,
Handle, Drugde,
Craftsman, Dwindler,
Brilliant, Horn Borer,
Famous and Lagooner,
Loam Lea, Earthy,
Oakenshield.
It is time to trace the dwarfs
in Dawdler’s troop,
for men’s progeny,
back to Praiser –
those dwarfs who sought,
from Mansion’s Stone,
the homes of Loam Leas
at Earth Plains.
There was Dripper
And Strife Eager,
High, Grave Treader,
Shelter Field, Gleamer (Gloin),
Joiner, Groiner,
Crooked Finn, Old Father,
Elf and Yngvi,
Oakenshield,
Hider and Frosty,
Finn and Potent.
Uplifted in memory
as long as the world lives
will be this list
ofPraiser’s lineage.’
(Dronke 1997:9 – 11)
’n Paar van die name wat aan die dwerge gegee is word egter slegs in die Jonger Edda gevind. In die Gylfaginningword die lys van dwerge weer gegee, maar hierdie keer word die name Dori, Ori, Dain en Nain bygevoeg (Rateliff 2008:868).
Wonderlike Vakmanne
 |
| Freyja met die Brisingamen - 'n kunswerk deur J. Penrose (1890) |
Soos Tolkien se dwerge, is die dwerge in die Noorse mitologie ook skeppers van wonderbaarlike voorwerpe, soos Sif se hare, die Brisingamen halssnoer, Thor se hamer, Odin se spies en die ring Draupnir. Hulle maak ook die boeie waarmee die wolf Fenrir tot Ragnarok vasgebind word en die mede van digkuns.
In Tolkien se wêreld is die Elwe en Dwerge twee heeltemal aparte rasse, elk met hul eie geskiedenis en taal. Die skrif wat deur die dwerge gebruik word is ook die runes van die Germaanse volke wat steeds op verskeie stene en artifakte gesien kan word.
Nog boeke
Nog verhale oor die verskillende rasse, hulle skepping en die geskiedenis van Middle-Earth kan in die The Silmarillion gelees word. Alhoewel hierdie boek baie donkerder as The Hobbit en selfs The Lord of the Rings, is dit pragtige, epiese verhale en kan ek dit werklik aanbeveel vir enige iemand wat meer te wete wil kom oor Middle-Earth.
En geniet ook regtig CarolyneLarrington se vertaling van die Ouer Edda, aangesien dit in kontemporêre Engels geskryf is en vlot lees. Dit is ’n goeie weergawe om mee te begin as jy net begin om die Eddas te lees. Jesse Byock se vertaling van die Jonger Edda is ook ’n baie goeie vertaling alhoewel dit nie die Háttatál bevat nie. Die mitolgie is baie makliker om te verstaan indien mens met die Jonger Edda begin en dan die Ouer Edda lees as anders om.
Bronne aangehaal:
(*Tolkien gebruik die meervoud “dwarves” in sy fiksie om spesifiek te verwys na die afstammelinge van Durin.)
† Die derde volume van Dronke se werk is nou beskikbaar. Ek hou maar duim vas dat die universiteitsbiblioteek dit aankoop of dat ek die lotto wen...
From the Archive: Hobbit Monday – Beorn and the Berserkers
*Spoiler alert! If
you haven’t yet read The Hobbit, proceed
with caution.*
Beorn
In the chapter “Queer Lodgings” in The Hobbit, the Dwarves, Gandalf and Bilbo stays at the hall of
Beorn, a skin-changer.
 |
| Artwork of Beorn and part of the company by Ted Nasmith |
Gandalf says to Bilbo: “I shall introduce you slowly, two by
two, I think; and you must be careful
not to annoy him, or heaven knows what will happen. He can be appalling when he
is angry, though he is kind enough if humoured. Still I warn you he gets angry
easily. … If you must know more, his name is Beorn. He is very strong, and he
is a skin-changer.” (Tolkien 2010:108)
Indeed, Beorn can turn into a bear and travel very fast in
this form, and is shown to be a formidable enemy when he shows the company of
guests “[a] goblin’s head … outside the gate and a warg-skin … nailed to a tree
just beyond” (Tolkien 2010:123). (“Wargs” are the wild wolves who are also
encountered in The Lord of the Rings.)
Berserkers
In Norse mythology and folklore the berserkers are “furious
warriors, in mythology associated with Odin” (Lindow 2002:75) and appears in
the Ynglinga Saga, written by Snorri
Sturluson. “After stating that Odin could make his enemies blind, deaf, or
overcome with fear in battle, their weapons useless, Snorri added, ‘but his men
went without armor and were crazed as dogs or wolves, bit their shields, were
as strong as bears or bulls. They killed men, but neither fire nor iron
affected them. That is called going berserk.’” (Lindow 2002:75)
 |
| Berserker Chess Pieces |
Beorn’s shape changing nature also harks back to one of the
etymologies suggested for the word “berserkr” – “bear-shirt”. The etymology of
“bare-shirt” has also been proposed (Lindow 2002:76), referring to the way in
which these warriors entered war without wearing armour.
 |
| "Beorn Finds Thorin" by Tulikoura |
Karl Mortensen, in his book A Handbook of Norse Mythology (2003) notes the many instances of
shape-shifting in the Norse mythology. Of Berserkers, he states the following:
“Men who had a peculiar aptitude for changing form were called hamramir, ‘strong in form’. We must
certainly regard the fury of the Berserk as the same category of Warriors who
in the heat of battle were attacked by wild and brutal frenzy were called Berserkir or Ulfhethinn, i.e. men who wears furs or bear or wolf skin; but the
original belief was really that they went about in the form of bears or
wolves.” (Mortensen 2003:44).
Beorn also plays a part in the Battle of Five Armies,
inflicting great losses on the goblins and wargs and carrying Thorin from the
battlefield –
“In that last hour Beorn himself had appeared – no one knew
how or from where. He came alone, and in bear’s shape, and he seemed to have
grown almost to giant-size in his wrath.
The roar of his voice was like drums and guns; and he tossed
wolves and goblins from his path like straws and feathers. He fell upon their
rear, and broke like a clap of thunder through the ring. … Then Beorn stooped
and lifted Thorin, who had fallen pierced with spears, and bore him out of the
fray.” (Tolkien 2010:263-4)
 |
| Berserker |
A very strong person and warrior taking the shape or
characteristics of a bear, and who fights ferociously, definitely fit with the
description of Beorn given in The Hobbit.
Tolkien, however builds a culture around the shape-shifting character, making
him much more than just a two-dimensional warrior whose only skill is that of
fighting and killing.
Just Because It’s
Interesting
It is also interesting to note that, Jesse Byock, when
describing the vengeance killings and aspects of feuds which were written into
the law in Medieval Iceland, states the following about someone who goes
“berserk”: “Private parties were also responsible for restraining violent
individuals in their midst: ‘If a man goes berserk, the penalty is lesser
outlawry. The same penalty applies to those men who are present except if they
restrain him.” (Byock 1990:26).
Sources:
Byock, J. 1990. Medieval
Iceland: Society, Sagas and Power. University of California Press,Berkeley.
Lindow, J. 2002. Norse
Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. University ofOxford Press, Oxford.
Mortensen, K. 2003. A
Handbook of Norse Mythology. Dover Publications Inc., New York.
Tolkien, JRR. 2010. The
Hobbit. Haper Collins Publishers, London.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
From the Archive: The Hobbit’s Dwarves – The folk of Durin
Bilbo’s fellow adventurers in The Hobbit are Dwarves and the Wizard Gandalf. While most people
who have read up on the inspiration of The
Hobbit probably know that these names are taken from the Eddas, it is still interesting to look
at the poem from which most of the names are taken and who Durin was in the
Norse mythology.
The Eddas
 |
| Depiction of Andvari, a dwarf, by F. Von Stassen, 1914 |
The two Eddas are the texts in which most of the Norse mythology is written
down. The first poem in the Elder Edda
is the Völuspá, and tells of the creation of the cosmos, the gods and the
happenings at Ragnarok; the doom of the gods.
Part of this poem tells of the dwarfs and lists them by name. The Codex Regius (the manuscript containing
the Elder Edda) describes the
creation of the lord of the dwarfs out of the blood of Brimir and out of the
limbs of Bláin (Lindow2008:99). In the Gylfaginning
in the Younger Edda, the dwarfs are
said to have been created out of the maggots in the corpse of the giant Ymir. One
of the stanzas in the Dvergartál; The Naming of the Dwarfs reads as follows:
Then Motsognir became the greatest of
all the dwarfs, and Durin another;
Many manlike figures they made,
dwarfs from the earth, as Durin recounted.
(Larrington2008:5)
In Tolkien’s work, dwarves are referred to as the “Durin’s
Folk”, obviously a reference to the Durin named in the Norse myths, and in The HobbitThorinOakenshield (the leader
of the dwarven company in The Hobbit)
says: “Durin, Durin!... He was the father of the fathers of the eldest race of
Dwarves, the Longbeards, and my first ancestor: I am his heir.” (Tolkien 2010:50)
Tolkien also gave names from the Dvergartál to his band of dwarves. The complete list of names are,
however, many more than those in The
Hobbit. The name “Gandalf” is also one of the names of the dwarfs in the
poem. A few of the names contain “alf” (elf), showing how blurred the line
between the dwarfs and elves is in the mythology.ThorinOakenshield’s name is
actually made up of two of the dwarfs named in the poem. The dwarfs are here
referred to as the “dwarfs in Dvalin’s lineage”, but then called “the people of
Lofar”. Here are the names in full**:
The Naming of the
Dwarfs and Dwarves
In Larrington’s translation the names of the dwarfs are
translated as follows (note that the meaning of all the names are not clear):
New-moon and Dark-of-moon, North and South
East and West, Master-thief, Delayer,
Bivor, Bavor, Bombur, and Nori,
An andAnar, Great-grandfather and Mead-wolf.
Liquor and Staff-elf, Wind-elf and Thrain,
Known and Thorin, Thror, Colour and Wise,
Corpse and New-advice: now I have rightly
- Regin and Counsel-sharp – reckoned up the dwarfs.
Fili and Kili, Foundling and Nali,
Haft anfVili, Hanar and Svíur,
Frar and Hornborer, Fræg and Sea-pool,
Loamfield, Iari, Oakenshield.
Time it is to tally up the dwarfs in Dvalin’s lineage,
the people of Lofar,
those who sought out from the stony halls
the dwelling of Loamfield on Iorovellir.
There were Draupnir and Dolgthrasir,
Greyhair, Mound-river, Lee-plain, Glow,
Elf and Yngvi, Oakenshield.
Fialar and Frosty, Finn and Betrayer;
they’ll be remembered while mankind endures,
the long tally of ancestors of Lofar.
(Larrington 2008:5-6)
Another translation of these stanzas can be found in John
Rateliff’sThe History of The Hobbit: Part Two Return to Bag-End(2008). The
Old Norse text he uses is that byFinnurJónsson (1905), while the English text
is the translation by Ursula Dronke’s
which is also a wonderful, albeit highly annotated work and not meant
for light reading.†I’m only giving the English text here, with the dwarves in The Hobbit’s names given after their
translation:
There did Mootsucker
become most esteemed
of all dwarfs,
andDoorward next.
They fashioned many
figurines,
these dwarfs, out of earth,
asDoorward told:
‘New Moon and No Moon,
North and South,
East and West,
All-thief, Dawdler (Dwalin),
Trembler (Bifur), Trumbler (Bofur),
Tubby (Bombur), Shipper (Nori),
Friend and Fighter,
 |
| One of the banners from the new movie versionof The Hobbit |
Old Father (Oin), Mead Wolf,
Potion and Sprite Elf (Gandalf),
Wind Elf, Yearner,
Docile and Darer (Thorin),
Thrive, Clever and Colour,
Corpse and New Counsellor –
now I have the dwarfs
- Power and Plan-wise –
Correctly counted.
Trunky (Fili), Creeky (Kili),
Found, Needly,
Handle, Drugde,
Craftsman, Dwindler,
Brilliant, Horn Borer,
Famous and Lagooner,
Loam Lea, Earthy,
Oakenshield.
It is time to trace the dwarfs
in Dawdler’s troop,
for men’s progeny,
back to Praiser –
those dwarfs who sought,
from Mansion’s Stone,
the homes of Loam Leas
at Earth Plains.
There was Dripper
And Strife Eager,
High, Grave Treader,
Shelter Field, Gleamer (Gloin),
Joiner, Groiner,
Crooked Finn, Old Father,
Elf and Yngvi,
Oakenshield,
Hider and Frosty,
Finn and Potent.
Uplifted in memory
as long as the world lives
will be this list
ofPraiser’s lineage.’
(Dronke 1997:9 – 11)
However, a few of the names given to the dwarves are only
found in the Younger, or Prose Edda. In the Gylfaginning
a list of dwarfs are given again, but this time the list includes the names
Dori, Ori, Dain and Nain (Rateliff 2008:868).
Great Craftsmen
 |
| Freya wearing the Brisingamen - artwork by J Penrose 1890 |
Like Tolkien’s dwarves, the dwarfs in Norse myths are also
creators of great objects, including the goddess Sif’s hair, the Brisingamen
necklace, Thor’s hammer and Odin’s spear and the ring Draupnir. They also
fashion the fetter with which the wolf Fenrir is bound until Ragnarok and the
mead of poetry.
In Tolkien’s world the Elves and Dwarves are two very
distinct races, each with their own history and language. The script of the
dwarves in Tolkien’s work is the runes used by various Germanic peoples and
which can still be found on various stones and artifacts.
More Books
For more information on the different races, their creation
and history in Middle-Earth can be read in The
Silmarillion. Although this book is much darker than The Hobbit and many times even as The Lord of the Rings, it is extremely beautiful epic stories and I
can really recommend it to anyone who wants to read more about Middle-Earth.
I really enjoy CarolyneLarrington’s translation of the Elder Edda as it is translated in a
contemporary English that reads very smoothly. It is definitely a good version
to read when you’re just starting out with the Elder Edda. Jesse Byock’stranslation of the Younger Edda is also a very good translation and contain a very
informative introduction. Unfortunately, it does not contain the Háttatál,but it is a good place to
start. The mythology is also easier to understand if you start with the Younger Edda and then move on to the
poems of the Elder Edda.
Sources quoted:
(For those wondering why “dwarfs” and “dwarves” are used in
this post – the correct plural is “dwarfs”, but Tolkien uses “dwarves”
throughout his fiction.)
** For those reading here who understand Dutch – head overto my Afrikaans blog for Marcel Otten’s Dutch translation of the poem.
† In a side note – the third volume of Dronke’s great work
is now available. I’m crossing my fingers that either the varsity library buys
it or I win the lotto…
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