Celtic & Viking Mythology

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This course will examine the mythological and legendary traditions of the Celtic and Scandinavian worlds in the Iron Age and medieval periods. We will examine these traditions via the literary works produced by medieval Irish, Welsh, Scandinavian, and Icelandic writers, as well as in information recorded about them by foreign authors and in the archaeological record. We will also trace how these traditions impacted modern folklore and political ideologies. In so doing, we will aim to gain a better understanding of these historical peoples and the resonances and varied influences of their enduring literary traditions.