Runic Poetry as Oral Poetry:Some Formulae from the Viking Age

In the present chapter, I will investigate the type of Old Norse (oral) poetry known as Viking-Age runic poetry. One of the main concerns of this contribution will be how to better explain some of the issues that arise from treating Viking-Age runic poetry as literature by arguing that runic poetry should rather be seen as a form of oral poetry. Three types of oral formulae in runic poetry will be analysed and it will be argued that the formulae create culturally specific, idiomatic meaning centred on various aspects of Old Norse hegemonic masculinity.