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Why did Snorri Sturluson write the Prose Edda?
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Icelandic literature
Jónas Hallgrímsson.
Snorri Sturluson wrote the Prose Edda primarily as a comprehensive textbook on poetics. His work served two main purposes for the Icelandic literature of his time:12
- Instruction for Poets: It was intended to teach young poets the complex and difficult metres used by early Icelandic skalds (court poets).2
- Preservation of Mythology: It provided a necessary guide for a Christian age to understand the mythological subjects, kennings, and allusions that were central to early Norse poetry.12
By arranging and recounting these legends, Snorri ensured that the ornate diction and traditional stories of the past remained accessible to future generations.12