Eigi er nú fróðliga spurt: An analysis of irony and humour in Gylfaginning

Abstract

The present thesis is a literary analysis of humour and irony in the Icelandic text ‘Gylfaginning’, a section of Snorri Sturluson’s Edda, as it is preserved in the Codex Regius manuscript (GKS 2367 4°). It is a complementary interpretation to what Christopher Abram (2009) has described before. The main objective is to explain how and why Gylfaginning is ironic. Gylfaginning is compared to Platonic dialogues (Euthyphro, Symposium, and Apology), where Socrates is portrayed as a curious examiner, as he participates in ironic and humorous conversations. A literary comparison is made of the characters in these texts, who engage with their interlocutors in an almost identical fashion. Furthermore, the way events unfold, as well as their conclusion, show close resemblances between the texts. Irony is characterised as the result of contradiction and an unexpected outcome. The arguments presented are largely based on Søren Kierkegaard’s (1841) writings on irony. After analysis of Gylfaginning, the conclusion is that it bears a strong resemblance to some aspects of the Socratic dialogues. It is, therefore, essentially ironic.