Old Norse

Red, discovered and settled the area we know as Greenland. Two famous Vikings that came from an era that would be best known for its brutality, the legendary warriors and the mythology. From 700-1100 AD, Vikings ruled the land. A strong and proud race of Nordic seafarers who traveled the Norwegian and Baltic seas in long boat, from battle to battle, from raid to raid. Viking Warriors were often seen wielding a sword and shield or a mighty ax in battle. In the old Norse language, Viking meant “pirate raid”, and that is what they were best known for. Vikings would travel to new lands to seek valuables…

In our previous post, The Disneyfication of Pocahontas and the True Story of Uleleh, we explored the origins of the Disney film Pocahontas and discovered that it has a deeper, more complex history than we thought. In today’s post, we delve into another Disney film, Frozen, which is said to be based on the fairy tale The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen. Interestingly, there are speculations that Andersen’s fairy tales were actually inspired by Norse mythology, so we decided to examine The…

In Germanic mythology, Odin (from Old Norse Óðinn) is a widely attested god. In Norse mythology, whence most surviving information about the god stems, Odin is associated with healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, battle, sorcery, poetry, frenzy, and the runic alphabet, and is the husband of the goddess Frigg. In wider Germanic mythology and paganism, Odin was known in Old English as Wōden, in Old Saxon as Wōden, and in Old High German as Wuotan or Wodan, all stemming from the…

such as Odin, Thor, Freya, and Loki. (“Norse Mythology”) The Norse people believe that there are two types of gods. There were the Æsir and the Vanir. The Æsir believed the gods created war, power and death. The Vanir are responsible for the fertility. ("Norse Mythology.") How was the earth created? No plants, lakes, oceans, or sky but there was an abyss, Ginnungagap. Everything was perfect in the silence and darkness between the fire, Muspelheim, and the ice, Niflheim. Frost from Niflheim and…

Viking warriors, great battles, terrible monsters, and powerful gods. All of these images come to mind when one thinks about the Norse Myths. But where did these myths come from, and how did they change both in their interpretation and perception over time? Like most questions there is not a simple answer, Work on later To understand the origins of Norse Mythology, one must look at its stylistic predecessor in the Old Germanic beliefs. Tacitus, a Roman historian who lived between the 1st and…

homogeneous warrior group, there were actually many layers and nuances to Norse culture and society. Given that the Viking period extended from 800 AD to 1050 AD, the Norse groups experienced multiple cultural shifts and political shifts that can be seen throughout their stories and cultural artifacts. Prior to the majority of Viking expansion, much of their culture was defined by closely knit kin groups and one’s honor was deeply tied to your relationships with others. When the groups expanded…

administration in England, their naval technology, their literature, and culture. A Asgard: From the Norse Mythology. It designates the home of the Æsir tribe of gods. Æsir: From the Norse Mythology. It is the name of a number of deities venerated by pre-Christian Norse tribes and other Germanic tribes. Alfheim: From the Norse Mythology, it means “land of the fairies” and is the home of the light Elves. D Danelag: A type of settlement requested by Vikings during their raids in Western Europe.…

Vikings; early Europe’s bloodthirsty warriors. At the surface, they seemed no better than packs of wild dogs, faithless and savage. These “dogs” did have faith. They had faith in the many Gods and Goddesses of the Aesir. Tales of creatures, immortal beings, and everlasting wars would fill the halls of longhouses across the lands for hundreds of years, until they steadily faded away for centuries. Norse-paganism was once a great and prosperous religion that spread throughout most of Europe. It…

If you haven’t read up on any Norse and Greek mythology, you really should: it’s a riot. It's basically a big soap opera starring the gods of Asgard and Mt. Olympus. Outside of the holy cat fights, it’s kinda funny how similar their stories are at times, even though the Greeks and the Vikings didn't really know each other existed. Both mythologies follow a pantheon of gods with a wise, storm god as its head. They also feature an older race of gods, which once ruled the world, before the current…

Fate and Fame in Viking Culture and Religion “Cattle die and kinsmen die,/ thyself too soon must die” (Havamal st. 75). This oft-heard quote from the Old Norse poem Havamal is merely one example of the deep sense of finality that pervades Viking literature and religious beliefs. Unlike many contemporary faiths, chiefly the Abrahamic religions, Norse mythology lacks an eternal afterlife. For most individuals, including both men and gods, death is absolute and immutable. Intrinsically, this…