Note to Anon Mdr 39VII
[2-3] ljós* dagsbrún ins fagra heims ‘shining daybreak of the beautiful world’: This striking epithet for the Virgin Mary is one of many comparing her to sources of light, often heavenly bodies (cf. Schottmann 1973, 34-46). However, as Schottmann also remarks (1973, 36-7) the characterisation of Mary as dagsbrún, that is, the first streak of daylight between the end of night and the beginning of morning, has a special Christian significance, because it symbolises her role as the dawn before the coming of the true light, Jesus Christ, before whom the night of spiritual darkness will disappear.