A symposium on Eirík Magnússon, librarian at Cambridge (1833-1913) at the National Library, Saturday, April 20, 2013, 2-4:30 p.m.
On Saturday, April 20, 2013, from 2-4:30 p.m., a symposium and exhibition will be held at the National Library on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Eiríkur Magnússon, librarian in Cambridge (1833-1913). Eiríkur was educated as a theologian but carried out scholarly work in many fields. He was an active translator and publisher of various ancient texts, theological works, poems and hymns, folk tales and fairy tales. Eiríkur had a significant collaboration with George Powell and William Morris for many years on the translation and publication of Icelandic literature. Powell and Morris translated, among other things, most of Jón Árnason's folk tales, which were published in two volumes in 1864 and 1866. Eiríkur and Morris translated many outstanding Icelandic works such as Heimskringla , Grettir's Saga , Völsunga Saga and Gunnlaug's Saga ormstung , etc. Eiríkur translated the Völuspá into English and also the hymn "All as one flower" by Hallgrímur Pétursson. Eiríkur also translated into Icelandic, including Shakespeare's The Tempest and John Bunyan 's Pilgrim 's Progress. Eiríkur was a great advocate for the interests of Iceland. He had considerable contact with Jón Sigurðsson, as both were Geirung members, members of Atgeirn, a division within the Icelandic Society of Friends. He was also a campaigner for "open libraries" that would benefit the entire public and presented ideas for the future library, which he envisioned would be spiral-shaped and could be added to from the center.
Opening remarks at the symposium on Saturday will be given by Ingibjörg Steinunn Sverrisdóttir, National Librarian, and Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Minister of Education and Culture. Papers will be given by Pétur Pétursson, Professor at the University of Iceland, Auður Styrkársdóttir, Director of the Icelandic Women's History Museum, Dr. Andrew Wawn, Professor at the University of Leeds in England, and Guðjón Jensson, Librarian.
Agenda:
2:00 PM: Addresses:
Ingibjörg Steinunn Sverrisdóttir, National Librarian,
Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Minister of Education and Culture.
14:20: Pétur Pétursson, professor at the University of Iceland:
"Theologian Eiríkur Magnússon."
14:40: Auður Styrkársdóttir, director of the Icelandic Women's History Museum:
"Sigríður Einarsdóttir Magnússon (1831-1915)."
3:00 PM: Coffee break and exhibition opening.
15:30: Dr. Andrew Wawn, professor at the University of Leeds, England:
" Eiríkur Magnússon – master and scholar."
15:50: Guðjón Jensson, librarian:
"The banking affair and Eiríkur Magnússon's relations with Skúli Thoroddsen."
