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Norse Mythology

Norse Mythology. Creation & Gods. Creation . Ginnungagap- chasm/gap/abyss (“magic chasm”); existed before everything “Of old there was nothing” (Hamilton 459) Niflheim- cold land of many rivers; cold mist Muspelheim- hot land of fire (Hamilton 460)

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Norse Mythology

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  1. Norse Mythology Creation & Gods

  2. Creation • Ginnungagap- chasm/gap/abyss (“magic chasm”); existed before everything • “Of old there was nothing” (Hamilton 459) • Niflheim- cold land of many rivers; cold mist • Muspelheim- hot land of fire (Hamilton 460) The cold rivers of Niflheim and the heat of Muspelheim combined in Ginnungagap to create a cold mist. The first humaniod and jotun, Ymir, was created (Hamilton 459-60). (Jotuns are giants.)

  3. Creation, cont. • The first god, Buri, was also created at this point. • Gods and jotuns are separate beings. • Borr, a god, was the son of Burris. Borr married Bestla, a jotun. They had three sons: Odin, Vili, and Ve. • Odin and his brothers kill Ymir (Hamilton 460). • They use Ymir’s body to create the world, Midgard (“middle garden”), home of humankind.

  4. Creation, cont. • 9 worlds are created in total: Midgard, Asgard, Vanaheim, Jotunheim, Niflheim, Muspelheim, Alfheim, Svartalfheim, and Hel. • An ash tree called Yggdrasil supported the 9 worlds of the cosmos/universe (Hamilton 460). • Yggdrasil’s 3 roots tap into springs in Niflheim, Midgard, and Asgard. • Bifrost is a bridge that connects Midgard to Asgard. • Bifrost is guarded by Heimdall. • Etymology- “shaking rainbow”

  5. Creation, cont. • The first man and woman are created from trees. They are named Ask (ash tree) and Embla (elm tree) (Hamilton 460, Guerber 13). • Other supernatural beings--dwarfs, elves, sprites--were also created (Hamilton 460).

  6. Fig. 1: The Nine Worlds & Yggdrasil

  7. Gods and Goddesses, cont. • Odin- “Sky-father” (Hamilton 453)/“All father” (Guerber 17) • Has the highest seat in Asgard, a chair called Hlidskailf, from which he can see all that “was happening among gods, giants, elves, dwarfs, and men” (Guerber 17) • Two ravens who bring him news of humans (Hamilton 454) • Two wolves whom he feeds • Frigga- Odin’s wife and queen; goddess of atmosphere (or clouds) as well as of marital love and motherly love(Guerber 46-47) • She had the privilege of sitting on Hlidskialf (Guerber 46).

  8. Gods and Goddesses, cont. • Loki- trickster god; Odin’s brother (by birth or oath) • Gets Hoder to kill Balder • Balder- “radiant god of innocence and light” (Guerber 65); son of Odin and Frigga • He became depressed because of a recurring dream, so his mother made every “animate and inanimate thing to register a solemn vow not to harm Balder” (Guerber (216). • Hoder- god of darkness; blind; Balder’s brother • Hermod- the “nimble god” (Guerber 65); Odin’s son; Balder’s brother • Travels to Hel in order to bring his brother Balder back (Guerber 222-30).

  9. Gods and Goddesses, cont. • Hel(a)- goddess of death; her kingdom is daughter of Loki • Thor- god of Thunder • “remarkable for his great size and strength” (Guerber 65) • “Although generally good-tempered, Thor would occasionally fly into a terrible rage. . . .” (Guerber 65). • Frey- “god of the golden sunshine and the warm summer showers” (Guerber 124); brother of Freya • originally a Vana but welcomed into Asgard (Guerber 124) • king of Alfheim, home of light elves (Guerber 124) • Freya- “goddess of beauty and love” (Guerber 138); sister of Frey • originally a Vana but welcomed into Asgard (Guerber 124) • It’s believed that “she often led the Valkyrs down to the battlefields” and was “therefore often represented with corselet and helmet, shield and spear” (Guerber 139).

  10. Other Beings • Valkaries- female; do Odin’s bidding on the battlefield, bringing the brave dead to Valhalla • Giants (jotuns) • Dwarfs • Elves • Hugin (thought) and Munin (memory)- Odin’s two ravens • Norns- 3 female “fates” (Urda, Verandi, and Skuld); guard the Well or Urd(a) • Iormungandr- serpent; Loki’s “child”; encircles Midgard • Nidhug- dragon; chews at Yggdrasil’s roots • Ratatosk- squirrel; carries messages throughout Yggdrasil

  11. Fig. 2: Odin by Burne-Jones Fig. 3: Frigga Spinning the Clouds by Dollman (Guerber 48)

  12. Fig. 4: Thor by Fogelberg (Guerber 67) Fig. 5: Loki and Hodur Qvarnstrom (Guerber 220)

  13. Fig. 7: The Ride of the Valkyrs by Dollman (Guerber 187) Fig. 6: The Norns by Ehrenberg (Guerber 175)

  14. Fig. 8: The Rainbow Bridge by Hendrich (Guerber 153)

  15. Works Cited Guerber, Helene A. Myths of the Norsemen. New York: Barnes and Noble, 2006. Print. Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Times Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 1942. Print.

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