- Hallar-Steinn
Hallar-Steinn was an Icelandic poet active around the year 1200. He is best-known for the poem "Rekstefja", preserved in
Bergsbók and "Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar en mesta ". A few other disjoint verses by him are also known, quoted in "Skáldskaparmál ", "Laufás-Edda " and theThird Grammatical Treatise ."Rekstefja" traces the career of King
Óláfr Tryggvason from his upbringing in Russia to his fall atSvöldr . It consists of 35 "dróttkvætt " verses. The poem's name derives from its refrain (Old Norse "stef") which consists of three lines divided between three contiguous verses. [Hoops 2003:70.] The poem proclaims itself to be the third "drápa " on Óláfr Tryggvason, referring to two earlier ones byHallfreðr vandræðaskáld and the unknown Bjarni. The poem is technically accomplished and makes use of complex combinations ofkenning s. It is influenced by the works ofArnórr jarlaskáld andEinarr Skúlason and has many similarities with "Óláfsdrápa Tryggvasonar ", preserved in the same manuscript. [Vries 1999:42-4.]No biographical information on Hallar-Steinn has come down to us. His name may be derived from the farm-name Höll in Þverárhlíð in
Borgarfjörður . [Ross 2000:105.] He was identified by some early commentators with the 11th century court poetSteinn Herdísarson but this is rejected by modern scholars.Notes
References
* Eysteinn Björnsson (2002). "Index of Old Norse/Icelandic Skaldic Poetry". Published online at: http://www.hi.is/~eybjorn/ugm/skindex/skindex.html See in particular "Hallar-Steinn" at http://www.hi.is/~eybjorn/ugm/skindex/hst.html using several different editions.
* Hoops, Johannes (2003). "Reallexikon der germanischen Altertumskunde: Band 22". Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 3-11-017351-4
* Ross, Margaret Clunies (2000). "Old Icelandic Literature and Society." Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-63112-2
* Vries, Jan de (1999). "Altnordische Literaturgeschichte: 3. Auflage. Mit einem Vorwort von Stefanie Wurth". Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 3-11-016330-6
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