Also is there any historical link between the two? I know Ragnarok is not technically an apocalypse but a ending and continuation of a story, where the christian apocalypse focuses on the rebirth of the worthy. Is Snorri the only author who touches on it?
hi.. I noticed that this thread is still active; thought you might be interested in some previous threads on Ragnarok. This one includes links to a few more; give them a scan for some comments on its relationship to Christianity, and suggestions for further reading
Snorre is not really the first author who touches on it, even if he did approach the subject through his Edda (commonly refered to as the "Younger Edda") and is generally considered the most known source.
The Elder Edda also touches on Ragnarok as a topic. This was a collection of poems regarding old Norse heroes and Gods. This Edda has no known author, but it is widely believed to be a compiled written account of various stories and tales passed one through-out the generations for centuries prior to the 12th Century and Snorre's birth. Lines of the Elder Edda has been found in excavations from settlements dated back to the 10th and 11th Century, before Snorre was even born.
In terms of poetic composition, the Elder Edda draws on a form which existed before Christianity ever came to Scandinavia. This form is strongly related to ancient Germanic poetry from before 800 AD, which was before Christianity was accepted and embraced by Scandinavian countries.
It is very hard to say for sure. Most written accounts are bound to be influenced by the time they are written, and these are made after Christianity was introduced to Scandinavia. However, at the same time, Ragnarok predates the introduction, and existed before skalds like Snorre could rewrite the story in his image.
In terms of relevant poems from the Elder Edda, you could look into Voluspå and Vavtrudnesmål, although these are just the poems where Ragnarok as a topic is introduced and explained. It will give you no actual answer as to whether or not they are related to Christianity. It is likely that Ragnarok started out as a Norse myth, which is why a lot of the stories about Ragnarok is very different from what you can find in the Apocalypse. It is likely that it was later rewritten/retold to fit into the newly Christian society after Scandinavia was being converted, giving it ties to Christianity.
Just a minor note: there isn't a single Apocalypse in the Bible. Rather than being a single book (I'm guessing that you're thinking of the Revelation of St John), apocalypse was a literary genre and there are several instance in the Bible, possibly referring to different things.