The Mortal Gods By: Kora Ms. Nicole Bush
The People • Anglo-saxons, Scandinavians, Iceland, and Denmark • Defined by Tacitus, a Roman, by the language spoken • Not Celtic-, Latin-,or Slav-based • Each tribe had it’s own name, king and history. • Considered barbarians by the Romans.
Migration • Around 800 ad, different German dialects develop into: • Dutch • English • Flemish • Danish • Swedish • Norwegian • Icelandic • as the different tribes migrate around Europe.
Runes & Worship • 24 letters in the original runic alphabet. • Called “futhark” • From the order of the first 6 letters • Used for recording names on weapons • Associated with magic • Early Germans worshiped in natural, sacred places • Groves • Hilltops • Islands
Literary Sources • Heroic Poetry • From the oral traditions • Two types of poetry • Poetic Edda • A collection of lays found in 1 Icelandic manuscript • Composed around 800 ad. • Primary source for: • Thor versus Giants • Odin as god of wisdom, poetry and magic • The death of Balder • The creation and destruction of the world
Literary Sources • Epic • Only 1 complete example survives. • English Beowulf • Germany • A fragment of The Tale of Hildibrand and Hadubrand • None from Scandinavia survive.
Creation • 3 areas • Niflheim: land of ice, mist and darkness • North • Muspelsheim: Land of fire • South • Abyss in between the two • Ginnungagap • Rivers flow from Muspelsheim • Winds from Niflheim • Ymir – the first giant • Father of giants, humans and gods
Creation • The Cow – Audhumla • 4 rivers flow from her udders • Buri born from the drops off her tongue • Giant • Buri capable of reproducing and bore a son • Bor - Married Bestla, one of Ymir’s descendants. • 3 gods born of this marriage. • Odin, Vili and Ve • The race of giants created from Ymir’s sweat • Sons of Bor attacked Ymir and killed him • Blood filled Ginnungagap
Creation • One son and his wife survive. • God‘s dragged Ymir’s body • It’s pieces created • Blood – oceans • Flesh – earth • Bones – mountains • Skull – vault of heaven supported by 4 dwarfs • Later named the 4 directions • Brain – clouds • Sun’s sparks got stuck in the vault of heaven • Became stars
Creation • Gods decided and began the rhythm of the seasons • Night came first, then day • Common in ancient cultures • Humans • Created after Asgard was built • Two tree trunks molded into human shapes • Odin – souls • Hoenir – senses • Lodur – life and color
Lands • 3 realms • Asgard: home of the gods • Midgard: home of human race • Niflheim: land of the dead • Asgard • Connected to Midgard by a bridge, The Bifrost • Formed by rainbows • Contains many halls • Valhalla – hall of the slain heros • Valaskjalf – houses Odin’s high seat Hlidskjalf • Vanaheim – home of the Vanir • Alfheim – home of the Light-Elves
Lands • Midgard • Land surrounded by an ocean • Inhabited by a huge serpent • Niflheim • Only giants and dwarfs can live there • Hel’s domain • Land of ice and darkness
Yggdrasill: Tree of Life • An Ash tree • Whole world is in the shadow of its branches • Roots go deep into the earth and up into the sky • 3 roots • 1 in Urd’s well • Fountain of youth • 1 in Niflheim to the Hvergelmir fountain • Gives water to all rivers in the world • 1 to the fountain of Mimir • Fountain of wisdom • Will protect 2 humans during Ragnarok • Lif and Lifthrasir
Gods • 2 races of gods • Aesir – Gods of war • Vanir – Gods of fertility and earth • War with each other • Compromise – Njord, Freyr and Freyja to Asgard
Odin (Wodan) • Father and leader of all the gods • Master of magic • Runes • God of war • Patron of warriors • Decides the fates of warriors • Patron god of poetry • Weapon • Spear – Gungnir • Animal attendants • Wolves: Geri and Freki • Ravens: Huginn (mind) and Munnin (memory) • Sleipnir: 8 legged horse
Thor • God of thunder • Destroyer of giants • Son of Odin • Weapons • Hammer – Mjollnir • A very short handle • Like a boomerang • The thunderbolt • Magic belt • Makes Thor twice as strong • Iron gloves
Njord • God of the sea • Invoked for sailing or fishing • Extremely rich • Married to Skadi • He lived in his hall by the sea, she in her hall in the mountains • Father of Freyr and Freyja
Freyr • God of human procreation and male potency • God of horses • During the migration period • Many horse remains are found in Viking graves and at sites in Sweden. • A horse cult • Freyja’s twin brother • Resembles the relationship between the Greek Artemis and Apollo • Not much is known about this god
Balder • Son of Odin • God of light • Adored by all the gods • Good natured • Beautiful • Peaceful • His dreams directly precede Ragnarok • Killed by Hod • Guided by Loki • Reborn after Ragnarok
Goddesses
Frigg (Frija) • Odin’s wife • Chief goddess • Comparable to Hera in Greek mythology • Men prayed to her to • Protect marriages • Bless them with children • She knew the future • Told no-one
Freyja • Goddess of erotic and sensual love • Mimics the Greek Aphrodite • Can turn into a falcon or a feather • Shamanistic powers • seeress • She is described as • Desirable • Strong willed • Passionate
Loki, the Companion • Not a god, but allowed to live in Asgard • The trickster • Nobody was immune from his practical jokes • The gods used his advice to get out of sticky situations • The wall of Asgard • Becomes truly evil after a fashion of playing pranks • Father of monsters • Sleipnir • Hel • Fenrir
End of the World : Ragnarok • Nordic gods are mortal • Everyone dies during Ragnarok; some to be reborn in a new world • Starts with Balder’s dream • Death of Balder • Gods vs. Giants • Odin is the first god to die • Eaten by Fenrir • Avenged by his son, Vidar • Freyr is killed by the fire giant, Surt • Thor kills the serpent of Midgard
End of the World : Ragnarok • Breathes too much poison and falls • Loki kills Heimdall, and then is slain Nature • Storms and cataclysms • Fires, earthquakes and tidal waves • Human race dies except Lif and Lifthrasir sheltered in Yggdrdasill • The ocean submerges everything • The Ginnungagap opens again on all sides
End of the World : Ragnarok • at once a new world rises from the waves • Everything is new and pure • An Eden-like world • Some gods are reborn • Balder – Master of this world • Hod – Balder’s brother • Odin’s sons • Vidar • Vali • Odin’s brothers • Vili • Ve • Thor’s sons • Magni and Modi • Hoenir • Announces the new age
