Uploaded September 2017 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
The story of Kvasir and the Mead of Poetry comes from the Skáldskaparmál, which is part of Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda, one of the most important medieval sources for Norse mythology.
Kvasir was created from the saliva of the gods Æsir and Vanir as a symbol of peace and shared wisdom. He was said to be so wise that he could answer any question asked of him. After his death, his blood was mixed with honey to create the Mead of Poetry, a substance that granted wisdom, poetic skill, and inspiration to those who drank it.
In this video, I go through the original myth as it appears in the medieval source material and explain how the story connects wisdom, poetry, and power in Norse tradition. The tale also explains why poetry was seen as a divine gift and how figures like Odin later became associated with poetic knowledge.
This video is part of a series covering myths from the Skáldskaparmál and the Prose Edda, written by Snorri Sturluson in 13th-century Iceland, which remains one of our primary written sources for Norse mythology today.
Social media:
facebook.com/Skjaldenspage
instagram.com/skjalden_dk
Website:
skjalden.com
#NorseMythology #Kvasir #MeadOfPoetry #ProseEdda #Skaldskaparmal #SnorriSturluson
The story of Kvasir and the Mead of Poetry comes from the Skáldskaparmál, which is part of Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda, one of the most important medieval sources for Norse mythology.
Kvasir was created from the saliva of the gods Æsir and Vanir as a symbol of peace and shared wisdom. He was said to be so wise that he could answer any question asked of him. After his death, his blood was mixed with honey to create the Mead of Poetry, a substance that granted wisdom, poetic skill, and inspiration to those who drank it.
In this video, I go through the original myth as it appears in the medieval source material and explain how the story connects wisdom, poetry, and power in Norse tradition. The tale also explains why poetry was seen as a divine gift and how figures like Odin later became associated with poetic knowledge.
This video is part of a series covering myths from the Skáldskaparmál and the Prose Edda, written by Snorri Sturluson in 13th-century Iceland, which remains one of our primary written sources for Norse mythology today.
Social media:
facebook.com/Skjaldenspage
instagram.com/skjalden_dk
Website:
skjalden.com
#NorseMythology #Kvasir #MeadOfPoetry #ProseEdda #Skaldskaparmal #SnorriSturluson
