Table of contents : Acknowledgments Introduction 1. 'Vǫluspá' and the Feast of Easter 2. On Heiðr and Gullveig 3. The Evolution of 'Hávamál' 4. 'Hávamál B': A Reconstructed Poem of Sexual Intrigue 5. Wisdom from Dead Relatives: The 'Ljóðatal' Section of 'Hávamál' 6. The Paradox of 'Vafþrúðnismál' 7. Motivation and Meaning in 'Lokasenna' 8. Myth as Therapy: The Function of 'Þrymskviða' 9. 'Vǫlundarkviða': Origins and Interpretation 10. Female Reactions to the Death of Sigurðr 11. Two Sex Goddesses: Þorgerðr Hǫlgabrúðr and Freyja in 'Hyndluljóð' 12. The Trouble with Father: 'Hervararkviða' and the Adaptation of Traditional Story-patterns Abbreviations Bibliography Index