Salberger, Evert. Egils sol-replik före Sonatorrek

• Author: Salberger, Evert
• Title: Egils sol-replik före Sonatorrek
• Published in: Gardar 18
• Place, Publisher:
• Year: 1987
• Pages: 18-23
• E-text:
• Reference: Salberger, Evert. "Egils sol-replik före Sonatorrek." Gardar 18 (1987): 18-23.

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• Key words: poetry (kveðskapur)

Annotation

The author has performed a metrical analysis of Egill Skallagrímsson's söl-reply: "Slíkt gerir at, er sölin etr, þyrstir æ þess at meir," which is easily read as a helming in ljóðaháttr as follows: "Slíkt gerir at, / er sölin etr, / þyrstir æ þess at meir." The ictus, which in the b-verse of the couplet is borne by the words sölin and etr, is borne in the a-verse by the adjective slíkt and the particle at. This means that the couplet, like several couplets in Eddic poetry, has crosswise alliteration according to the scheme a b a b. When removed from the narrative prose of the family saga, the helming may then be read: "Slíkt gerir at, / er sölin etr, / þyrstir æ þess at meir."

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