By the early middle ages vernacular aristocratic traditions of heroic narration were firmly established in Western and Northern Europe. Although there are regional, linguistic and formal differences, one can observe a number of similarities. Oral literature disseminates a range of themes that are shared by narratives in most parts of the continent. In all the European regions, this tradition of heroic narration came into contact with Christianity, which led to modifications. Similar processes of adaptation and transformation can be traced everywhere in this field of early European vernacular narrative. But with the increasing specialization of academic fields over the last half century, inter-disciplinary dialogue has become increasingly difficult. The volume is a contribution to renew the inter-disciplinary dialogue about common themes, topics and motifs in Nordic, Roman, Anglo-Saxon and Germanic literature, and about the different methodologies to explore them.

The book provides a clear introduction to heroic poetry in medieval German, English and Scandinavian literature, from its first appearance to its final demise in the 16th cen-tury. It presents the texts in their historical context, provides synopses and discusses their themes and their intentions, together with the problems they present for scholars. In the process it demonstrates how the old sagas were being continually re-interpreted in widely varying geographical and cultural contexts.