Norse Mythology

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Norse Mythology
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Textual Origins
Beowulf -- Old English Nibelungenlied -- German
legends The Eddas -- Icelandic accounts of
battles, legends, religion
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Modern Interpretations

• J.R.R. Tolkien
• The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings
• Richard Wagner
• The Ring of the Nibelung
• The Rheingold (Das Rheingold)
• The Valkyrie (Die Walkurë)
• Siegfried (Siegfried)
• Twilight of the Gods (Götterdämmerung)

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The Geography

• Norway
• Sweden
• Finland
• Denmark
• Iceland

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In the Beginning...
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Three regions

• Niflheim (land of snow/cold)
• Ginnungagap
• Muspelheim (land of fire)

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Earliest creatures
Ymir -- a giant Audhumla -- a giant
cow Audhumla licked the ice and uncovered
the giant Buri
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Buri married a Jotar and had 3 sons

• Odin
• Ve
• Vili

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And then the conflict began
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Civil WarGods vs. Jotars

• Death of Ymir
• Resulting creation
• Bergelmir
• Blood Feud

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Holding up Ymirs skull
Four dwarfs names were Nordri, Sudri, Austri,
and Vestri
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The Lands of Norse Mythology

• Creation was all tied together by Yggdrasil
• At its base were the 3 Norns who guarded the Well
  of Mimir (Urd, Verdandi, Skuld)

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Midgard -mortals Alfheim - elves Darkalfheim -
dwarfs Jotunheim - Jotars (frost giants) Asgard -
gods Hel -dead
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Odin

• Battle, death, inspiration
• Also called Woden, Wotan
• Sleipnir
• Runes
• Berserks
• Sacrificed an eye

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Thor

• Thunder
• Mjolnir
• Gloves
• Belt of strength

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Heimdall

• Watchman of Asgard
• Gjallarhorn

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Njord

• North Wind, sea, wealth
• father of Frey Freyja

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Loki

• Mischief
• Originally a Jotar
• Shape changer
• Father of
• Fenrir, Sleipnir, Hel, World Serpent
• Wife giantess Angurboda

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Tyr

• Battle
• One-handed

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Bragi

• Poetry, words
• Welcomed heroes to Valhalla

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Valkyries
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Balder

• Sun
• Killed by Hoder
• Remember Osiris, Bacchus, Mithras

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Frey

• Harvest, peace, fertility
• Lived in Alfheim
• Skidbladnir

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Frigg

• Women
• Wife of Odin

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Freyja

• Love
• Twin of Frey
• Falcon
• Good luck to be married on her day

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Hel

• The Dead
• Hel Erebus

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Ragnarok

• End of the world
• Similar to Christian concepts
• Good vs. Evil
• Surt
• But...