Skáldskaparmál is the section of Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda devoted to poetic language and kennings.
The section takes the form of a dialogue involving the giant Ægir and the god Bragi. It explains poetic vocabulary, mythological references, and the traditional expressions used by skaldic poets. Many passages preserve stories that help explain why particular kennings were used.
A kenning is a compact metaphorical phrase, such as calling the sea a “whale-road.” Skáldskaparmál connects such expressions to myths, genealogies, and legendary events, making it both a poetry handbook and a source of mythology.
Gylfaginning is the Prose Edda section that presents a major account of the gods and the world’s fate. Háttatal discusses verse forms and was composed as a praise poem, while Völuspá is a separate Poetic Edda poem.