Leizla Rannveigar in the Context of Old Norse Translated Visions

The present article is devoted to studying the structure, composition, genre characteristics and functions of the only indigenous text of the visionary genre in Iceland, Rannveigar leizla. The article argues that Leizla Rannveigar relies on the tradition of translated visions for its structure and organisation but simplifies the compositional stereotype of translated visions and varies their stable topics and archetypal motifs. The dialogic form, aimed at identifying the ethical contents of visual cosmogonic images in the translated visions, is endowed in Rannveigar leizla with didactic (the meaning of punishments in relation to sins), illuminating (messages about the holiness of the Icelandic bishops J?n, Thorlak the Younger, Bj?rn, Isleif and Thorlak the Elder) and prophetic functions (the affirmation of the holiness of Bishop Gu?mund Arason). Old Norse translations of Latin visionary literature are aimed at establishing a cultural connection between Iceland and other countries of Western Europe, presenting the only original Icelandic visionary text as part of the European tradition.