The Chronicle of Duke Erik

Book excerpt: Written in the 14th century and enjoying a Swedish national status similar to the English Beowulf, this fascinating tale with many levels of meaning reflects the ideals of politics and aesthetics typical of the age of chivalry. The rhyming verses are accompanied by prose renditions and commentary, making the work enjoyable reading for anyone with an interest in medieval texts. A valuable source for the scholarly disciplines of comparative literature and poetics, this genuine piece of Scandinavian history contains intriguing dichotomies between center and periphery, male and female, and Christian and heathen.