Rise Up, My Soul

The Passion Hymns of Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614-1674) are one of the high points of Icelandic literature, and their author has long been one of the nation's most beloved poets. The hymns trace the story of the passion of Christ, and a large portion of each hymn consists of the poet's interpretation of the events that he is describing. But Hallgrímur emphasizes strongly that, in spite of all, the theme is a joyful one. The moral purpose of the hymns is to instill in people hope and consolation. Icelanders belong to a small nation, but are proud of their language and literature. This work of Michael Fell's is an excellent translation of the Passion Hymns, with a scholarly and well-written introduction. (Dr. Margrét Eggertsdóttir)