[Grief and crises in Norse literature]

The significance of literature for psychiatry and vice versa is commented on, as an introduction to a study of Norse literature. This was written down mainly in Iceland in the 13th Century on the basis of oral traditions, some of which date back to the 9th century. From a psychological point of view, the Icelandic Sagas, the Royal Sagas of Snorri Sturluson and the earliest hero-poems of the Edda are of particular interest. This literature includes detailed descriptions of grief and crisis reactions, the management and rituals of grief, and the associated rituals. These patterns have a striking similarity to modern principles of crisis intervention.