Norse Mythology

Norse Mythology : 

Norse Mythology Freshman English 111 Mr. John D’Adamo

Background : 

Background Scandinavia – Norway, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Denmark, Greenland

Cosmology : 

Cosmology Three worlds above: Asgard (The Aesir) Alfheim (elves) Muspelheim (fire) Three worlds on earth: Vanaheim (The Vanir) Midgard (Middle Earth) Jotunheim (Frost Giants) Three worlds below: Niflheim (ice) Hel (underworld) Svartalheim (dwarves)

Cosmology, Cont’d : 

Cosmology, Cont’d Odin slew Ymir and built the world from his body. The world and the gods are doomed to inevitable destruction. This is a markedly pessimistic view.

Cosmology, Cont’d : 

Cosmology, Cont’d

Valhalla, Hall of Heroes : 

Valhalla, Hall of Heroes Most souls go to Hel when they die and simply suffer in patient silence. Only the valiant are selected to go to Valhalla. There they wait for the Last Battle, Ragnorak, at the end of the world. They are carried off the battlefield by Valkyries, the warrior-maidens. Redefinition of heroism to include the tragic hero, who faces his imminent demise with courage.

Ride of the Valkyries : 

Ride of the Valkyries

The Aesir : 

The Aesir Odin – King of gods Thor – Thunder god Loki – Fire; Trickster god (Prometheus) Balder – Light, beauty Hoder – Blind brother of Balder Tyr = Ares Fenris Frey (Freyr) = Apollo Freya (Freyja) = Artemis/Aphrodite Frigga = Hera/Demeter Heimdall – Guards the gate to Asgard Hela – Queen of the Dead Jormungand

Odin (Woden, Wotan) : 

Odin (Woden, Wotan) King of gods Tries to stop Ragnorak Hangs from tree for nine days to learn the runes. Gives eye to Mimir in exchange for knowledge. Pet Ravens – Thought and Memory Horse – Sleipnir Ultimately fails! Woden’s Day = Wednesday

Thor : 

Thor Thunder god Super strength Bad temper Hammer Mjolnir Battles Frost Giants and has many adventures Will die vs. Jormungand at Ragnorak. Cross between Zeus and Hercules Thor’s Day = Thursday

Tyr : 

Tyr God of war Captain of Valhalla Similar to Michael the Archangel. One-handed, lost it caging Fenris in Hel. Will die fighting Fenris at Ragnorak. Tyr’s Day = Tuesday

Frey(r), Frey(j)a, Frigga : 

Frey(r), Frey(j)a, Frigga FRIDAY

Balder and Hoder : 

Balder and Hoder Everyone loves Balder. Freya and the mistletoe. Loki tricks Hoder into killing Balder. Freya, Hel, the old woman.

Loki : 

Loki Part giant. All trickster. Prometheus, Mephistopheles, Kokopelli, Judas, Bugs Bunny.

Hela : 

Hela Queen of the Dead Daughter of Loki Half beauty, half corpse.

Frost Giants : 

Frost Giants Live in Jotunheim and are enemies to the Aesir. Will ultimately triumph over the forces of Asgard at Ragnorak.

Ragnorak : 

Ragnorak Heimdall’s horn Frost Giant invasion Jormungand vs. Thor Fenris vs. Tyr Loki vs. Odin The Fire Giant awakens. Gotterdammerung Niddhogg chews through. Yggsdrasil collapses. Muspelheim and Niflheim collide. The stars die. Flood and Rebirth. Rise of the One God.

Link to the Past… : 

Take a tour of the Norse universe... Norse Myth Pictures The Aesir of the Norse The Norse Gods and Goddesses Loki, the Trickster God Link to the Past…