Treachery In Irish Mythology

Irish and Scandinavian myths intertwine, in terms of legendary heroes. In the Irish myth:Cuchulain of Ireland, the Ulster Cycle contains one of the most important stories such as The Cattle Raid at Cooley, which celebrates the deeds of the semi divine Cuchulain. Cuchulain becomes a legendary war hero, who overcomes many adverse figures as well as the characters he challenges himself, and whose prophecy is to one day dye by another individual. In the Scandinavian myths, The Volsungs or Volsungasaga, “the story of the Volsungs” written in Old Icelandic, a German dialect, in a prose treatise, called a saga, is a summary in prose of stories. Sigurd, the legendary hero, after a lineage of ancestors, also becomes a legendary war hero, overcomes similar …show more content…
Violence was a way of life, especially in Norse sagas. Animals and humans slip in and out through the stories. Regin is human, but his brother is a worm. Sigurds kills both Regin and his brother, Fafnir. In the Irish myth about Cuchulain’s youthful deeds dealt with obstacles, to include a wide-variety of animals, such as horses, birds, and deer. Both Cuchulain and Sigurd’s lives are foreshadowed, after the indication of a prophecy. Cuchulain is advised by a druid, named Cathbad, whereas Sigurd is one legendary hero of few, whose specter is Odin. Odin and his cult represent death and dying. The crow or raven is an associated symbol in the Scandinavian and Irish myth. In the Irish myth, the raven appears on Cuchulain’s shoulder only after he has died. Throughout Norse myth, Odin is closely associated with ravens, these animals play the role as messengers for the gods, and usually the news is negative. Cuchulain and Sigurd are legendary heors, who are mainly defined by their lineages, actions, character traits, and what they represent. Both legendary heroes come from unnatural and random births, while each seeks power and fame by treacherous and honorable deeds. The Scandinavian and Irish myths are competitive by nature, there is an apparent collaboration among various characters, and one of the main motifs is the acquisition of females. Women are viewed as evil individuals, who are full of deceit and violence. Yet the women Cuchulain and Sigurd fall in love with are unmistankingly beautiful and supportive. In all, Cuchulain and Sigurd’s lives are structed and planned by the prophecy of druids and gods. Cuchulain attains his legendary status through trickery and his powers, while Sigurd uses mainly magical devices, as Swam, to gain legendary status by defeating the