Start Date
4-30-2026 9:10 AM
End Date
4-30-2026 10:25 AM
Disciplines
History
Abstract
Since the 1800s, the legend of the Kraken has pervaded literature, but this creature is much older, figuring in Norwegian myths as early as the 13th century. The modern understanding of the Kraken can be traced back to the 1750s writing of Bishop Erik Pontoppidan, who described the monster with fantastical and analytical detail. An interrogation of Pontoppidan’s text, as well as novels, poetry, and other media sources from the 19th century—many of which reference the Bishop by name—uncovers Pontoppidan’s influence on later stories of the Kraken. Coupled with an analysis of secondary scholarship on the changing dynamics of science and legend during this time period, these sources collectively reveal how Pontoppidan’s presentation of both myth and analysis was foundational to the content and prevalence of Kraken tales in 19th-century literature.
Creative Commons License or Rights Statement
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Included in
The Kraken Wakes: Myth, Science, and the Rise of a Maritime Sensation, from 1750-1900
Since the 1800s, the legend of the Kraken has pervaded literature, but this creature is much older, figuring in Norwegian myths as early as the 13th century. The modern understanding of the Kraken can be traced back to the 1750s writing of Bishop Erik Pontoppidan, who described the monster with fantastical and analytical detail. An interrogation of Pontoppidan’s text, as well as novels, poetry, and other media sources from the 19th century—many of which reference the Bishop by name—uncovers Pontoppidan’s influence on later stories of the Kraken. Coupled with an analysis of secondary scholarship on the changing dynamics of science and legend during this time period, these sources collectively reveal how Pontoppidan’s presentation of both myth and analysis was foundational to the content and prevalence of Kraken tales in 19th-century literature.