Cassell's Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend (Cassell Reference)

Rating:
Summary: Ian Myles Slater on: A Compact Edition
Review: I have been reading books about Norse mythology since the mid-1960s, and have studied the primary sources in translation, and, to a very limited (and amateurish) extent, in the original languages. This is exactly the sort of reference book / handbook I used to dream about, and which seemed to be available only as watered-down introductions for schoolchildren, or, if reasonably scholarly, in German. A recent example of the latter, by Rudolf Simek, has been translated by Angela Hall, as "Dictionary of Northern Mythology" (1993). The end of the twentieth century, has, in fact, seen several works of this sort, solidly based in scholarship, yet simple enough for those unfamiliar with the subject to enjoy. To my great pleasure, they are even being written in English.

This example is a re-set, mass-market edition of the 1997 "Cassell Dictionary...," which was published in both hardcover and trade paperback editions. The contents appear to be identical (I do not have a copy at hand to compare, so I am relying on memory), although, given the changes, it will be useful in the future to give references to Orchard by head-words, rather than page numbers.

The contents are extremely impressive. All of the major, and almost all of the minor, figures of Norse myth and legend from Scandinavian sources, together with other Germanic materials, and other relevant texts and archeological and other sources are catalogued and concisely described or defined. (The coverage of heroic legend is limited to the major figures, particularly those attested outside Scandinavia. Unfortunately, some of the more reliable and interesting correspondences to Migration-Age history, such as the names of the Niflung / Burgundian royal family, are slighted.)

There are cross-references to related articles - none, so far as I have noticed, leading in circles (as I have seen in too many reference works). Major critical issues are covered briefly and clearly, and with impressive objectivity (compare the discrete entry on "Beowulf" to the author's own 1995 book on the subject, "Pride and Prodigies...").

The difficult problem of transcribing Norse and Anglo-Saxon names, with their unfamiliar characters, has been solved by a few simple rules, clearly explained; exceptions are made for some very familiar forms, like Odin and Thor, where consistency would have called for accent marks. This will annoy purists, and perhaps those who have studied the relevant languages a little, but is far less intimidating to the uninitiated.

The articles are supplied with bibliographic references, in cryptic-looking letter-number combinations which direct the reader to numbered items in four separate bibliographies (references, primary sources, sources in translation, and studies). With something like 800 titles to deal with, this saves space, and avoids the problem of keeping track of whether or not an item appears in one or more places, and in full or short form. Although it looks confusing, I have found that the alphanumeric system makes it relatively easy to check the references. There is also an index of medieval passages and authors cited in the text.

An attractive feature is a set of appendices cataloguing such things as the names and titles of Odin, the names of Dwarfs, of Giants, and of "Troll-wives, Giantesses and Valkyries" (the last set showing so much overlap and confusion that grouping them together was probably the most practical solution). As in the articles, names are supplied with translations, if the meaning is reasonably clear.

Among recent works actually written in English, the most nearly comparable is John Lindow's "Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs." It differs in offering fewer, but longer, articles, with much more extended discussions of critical issues, literary problems, and rival interpretations. It omits some of the items of in the "Dictionary," but also covers some topics which Orchard only mentions. Lindow's bibliography seems much less comprehensive, but he includes essays on both the primary sources and the secondary literature (including how to evaluate on-line offerings). I have both, and would not give up either, but Orchard clearly offers the better bargain to a novice, covering more material with a simpler approach.