Norse Mythology

Norse Creation

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Norse Mythology
• Background
• pre-Christian religious beliefs of
the Norse people
• developed out of the common
mythology of the Germanic
peoples
• Norse mythology is a collection
of beliefs
– Has no doctrinal Information
• information about Norse
mythology is preserved in the Old
Norse literature (Eddas/Sagas)
• Who’s involved
• Norse mythology included
dwarves; elves; and the Norn's
• Norse Gods
 How Religion is Shared
• Vikings didn't record
their tales of adventure
• Vikings were storytellers, a
gift, given by their all-
powerful god Odin
• Storytellers, skalds
• a form of entertainment,
winter, trading, or raids
• Eddas & Sagas, 13th
century
• Wrote info in long poems
• Sagas, folktales/histories
 Norse Gods
• The gods were originally a
confederation of two
formerly warring tribes,
Aesir and Vanir
• All the gods lived in Asgard
Creation Myth
• realm of the gods and the home
of both the Aesir and Vanir
• Had battles, hostages, treaties
• Valhalla, a palace for fallen
kings & warriors who had died
in battle and heroes.
• Norse gods and goddesses
all had human traits
• they were not immortal
Viking Realms
• Yggdrasil
• Top
• home of the Aesir, Vanir
and light elves
• Middle
• home of the giants, dwarfs,
dark elves and mortal man
• Bottom
• home of the condemned
 Pantheon of Gods
• Odin
• The Father of all the Gods
and men
• His two ravens, fly over
the world daily and return
to tell him everything
that has happened in
Midgard
• He is a God of magic,
wisdom, wit, and learning.
• All of his actions are
related to knowledge,
wisdom, and the passing of
ideas and concepts to help
Mankind
• His day is Wednesday or
Wodensdaeg
Pantheon of Gods
• Thor
• Son of Odin
• The protector of all
Midgard
• Wields the mighty
hammer Mjollnir
• His hammer Mjollnir
causes the lightning
• Thor is the most
"barbarian" of the lot
• Rugged, powerful, and
lives by his own rules
• Thursday (Thorsdaeg) is
his day
 Pantheon of Gods
• Freya
• goddess of Love and Beauty, but
is also a warrior goddess
• One of great wisdom
• Queen of the Valkyries
• Chooser of those slain in
battle to bear them to Valhalla
• Cat is her sacred symbol
• Friday (Freyasdaeg)
• Loki
• Trickster, challenges the
structure and order of the Gods
• known as the god of Fire
• He is both a helper and a foe
• He is the creator of the
monsters that roam the earth
Pantheon of Gods
• Freyr
• Freya's twin brother
• God of fertility
• King of the Elves
• Boar is his sacred symbol
• God of Success
• At Ragnarok, he is said to
fight with the horn of an elk
• Tyr
• Ancient god of War and the
Lawgiver of the gods
• He was the leader of the Norse
Pantheon
• Tyr is excellent in all
manners of Justice, fair play,
and Right Action.
• Tuesday his Tyr’s day
 Pantheon of Gods
• Heimdall
• gold-toothed guardian of
Bifrost, the rainbow bridge
to Asgard
• Heimdall sounds the signal
horn that Ragnarok, the
great destruction has begun
• Duty to prevent the giants
from forcing their way into
Asgard
• Frigg
• She is the patron of
marriage and motherhood
• Knows every person's
destiny, but never unveils
it