Lokasenna

ancient Scandinavian poem

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July 23, 2026

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Lokasenna is an ancient Scandinavian poem that is part of the Poetic Edda. It is a mythological poem, likely composed between 800 and 1100 CE, and is known for its dramatic dialogue and archaic style.1

The poem depicts a feast hosted by the sea god Ægir, where the god Loki gatecrashes and proceeds to insult all the gods present. Loki, a complex figure who is counted among the gods but is not one of them, is known for his trickster nature and his role in causing trouble for the gods. In Lokasenna, he uses the occasion to reveal embarrassing secrets about each deity, leading to a chaotic and confrontational scene. The poem highlights the tensions and rivalries within the Norse pantheon, showcasing Loki's malicious intelligence and the gods' inability to control him.21

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Germanic religion and mythology
Scandinavian literary sources
The “Lokasenna” (“The Flyting of Loki”), which sharply criticizes the behaviour of the major Scandinavian gods and goddesses, perhaps on the model of Lucian’s Assembly of the Gods, is presumably a late addition, written circa 1200. Similarly, the political implications in the “Rígsthula” suggest that this…
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The “Lokasenna” (“The Flyting of Loki”), which sharply criticizes the behaviour of the major Scandinavian gods and goddesses, perhaps on the model of Lucian’s Assembly of the Gods, is presumably a late addition, written circa 1200. Similarly, the political implications in the “Rígsthula” suggest that this…
Read More

flyting
A Scandinavian counterpart is the Lokasenna (“Flyting of Loki”), a poem in the Poetic (Elder) Edda in which the trickster-god Loki bandies words with the other gods, taunting them with coarse jests. Although true flyting became obsolete in Scottish literature after the Middle Ages, the tradition itself never died out…
Read More
A Scandinavian counterpart is the Lokasenna (“Flyting of Loki”), a poem in the Poetic (Elder) Edda in which the trickster-god Loki bandies words with the other gods, taunting them with coarse jests. Although true flyting became obsolete in Scottish literature after the Middle Ages, the tradition itself never died out…
Read More