Which Norse god is the god of poetry and eloquence?

Bragi is the Norse god associated with poetry and eloquence.

In Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda, Bragi is presented as a god of poetry, renowned for wisdom and eloquent speech among the Æsir. He is also described as the husband of Iðunn, guardian of the apples associated with the gods’ youth. His role reflects the high status of skilled speech and praise-poetry in Norse court culture.

Bragi appears only sparingly in the Poetic Edda. In Grímnismál, he is named as the foremost of poets. In Lokasenna, he confronts Loki at Ægir’s feast and is defended by Iðunn. Skaldic poems also depict Bragi welcoming deceased kings into Valhalla.

A common mix-up is treating Bragi as simply another name for Odin. Odin certainly has strong connections with poetry, especially through the mead of poetry, but Bragi is the figure most specifically identified with poetic artistry and eloquence. Scholars also debate whether the divine Bragi developed from Bragi Boddason, a celebrated 9th-century skald traditionally regarded as the first skald.