Description: This scene is from a retelling of Norse mythology in the 1908
edition of Annie
Keary's The Heroes of Asgard (1857). Louis
Huard's illustration depicts
the dwarfs begging the giant Suttungr to spare
their lives and not take revenge for the death of his father
Gilling.
Source: The Heroes of Asgard
Folio or Page: 86
Medium: Not known
Date: 1908
Dimensions (mm): 80 x 125
Provenance:
This illustration is from The
Heroes of Asgard from the collection of P. A. Baer.
Rights:
This illustration from The Heroes of
Asgard is in the public domain.
Research notes, early print reviews, etc.:
Early print review of the first edition of The Heroes of Asgard: "The Scandinavian mythology
converted into a tale told for the edification of children, after the manner of
books that have taught the Greek and Roman mythology. But no genius can invest
the gods of Asgard with the charms of the gods of Olympus. They have none of the
grace or dignity. But the authoress has made the best of an unattractive theme."
(The Critic 130). Web. 27 July 2021. Full text of the review (ProQuest subscription required).
Early print review of the first edition of The Heroes of Asgard: "The
fables of the Northern mythology are here reduced to a form adapted to the
intelligence of children. They have been cleverly set to an accompaniment of
occasional dialogue, lightening and relieving the narrative of giants' wars and
of heroic prowess achieved by dwellers in the immortal city. The book is a good
specimen of learning made easy by being made pleasant." (The Athenaeum 470) Web.
27 July 2021. Full text of the Review (ProQuest subscription required).
Bibliography:
Editions
Keary,
Annie, and
Eliza
Keary. The
Heroes of Asgard: Tales from Scandinavian Mythology.
London: Macmillan and Co.
Limited, 1908.
Secondary Sources
Cleasby, Richard
and
Vigfússon
Guðbrandur
. An Icelandic-English Dictionary.
Oxford: Clarendon Press,
1957.
Review of The Heroes of Asgard, by Annie Keary and Eliza
Keary.
The Athenaeum, 11 Apr. 1857:
470. Web. 27 July 2021.
Review of The Heroes of Asgard, by Annie Keary, and Eliza
Keary. The Critic, 16 Mar.
1857: 130. Web July 27,
2021.
Gilling (non.)
The giant who was murdered by the dwarves Fjalar and Galar. The
dwarves give the mead of poetry to Gilling's son Suttungr in exchange
for sparing their lives when he seeks to avenge the death of his
father.
Suttungr (non.)
Suttung (en.)
The giant who hid the mead of poetry in a mountain named Hnitbjörg and
set his daughter Gunnlöð to guard it.
Myths
Mead of Poetry Myth
This myth begins at the end of the war between the two groups of gods
known as the Æsir and the Vanir. These two groups seal their peace by
exchanging hostages and also by spitting into a bowl. The spittle is
made into a wise being named Kvasir. Kvasir is eventually murdered by
the dwarves Fjalarr and Gjalarr who mix his blood with honey to make
mead. The mead makes anyone who drinks it into a poet. The two dwarves
later murder the giant Surttungr and his wife and then are forced to
give the mead to Surttungr's son as compensation. Surttungr hides the
mead in the mountain Hnitbjorg with his daughter Gunnlöð to guard it.
Óðinn finds a way to get into the mountain and steals the mead.
Nouns
Edwardian (en.)The
Edwardian era began with the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910
(January 22, 1901 - 28 July, 1914). However, the era's end date is
sometimes extended to the beginning of World War 1 (28 July
1914).
Victorian (en.)The
Victorian era began with the reign of Queen Victoria and ended with her
death (June 20, 1837 – January 22, 1901).
Source Materials:
Heroes of
Asgard (1870 ed.) (en.)The second illustrated edition of The Heroes of Asgard was published in 1870 and
illustrated by Louis Huard. These images are from the 1908
reprint.
Source Persons
Huard,
Louis (fr.)
b. 1st January 1814
d. 9th September 1874
Nationality: French
Occupation: Illustrator and painter
Huard was born in France but moved to England as an adult and died in
London. He illustrated the second edition of “The Heroes of Asgard”
(1870).
Keary,
Annie (en.)
b. 3rd March 1825
d. 3rd March 1879
Nationality: English
Occupation: Novelist, poet, and childrens book writer.
Anna Maria Keary, known as Annie Keary, was an English novelist, poet,
and children's writer. Her sister Eliza Keary collaborated with her in
writing “The Heroes of Asgard” that was first published in 1857 and many
times thereafter.
