Month: February 2017

Freya was the most important goddess in Norse mythology and religion. She was immensely popular throughout the entire Viking world. Her name translates to “Lady” which is actually more of a title than her actual name. This is due to the fact that Freya journeyed many times into the mortal world under various names in search of her lost husband. Like most Norse gods and goddesses Freya had countless names and nicknames. The nicest way to describe Freya, while still being polite, is to call her the “party girl” of all gods. It was said that she slept with every single god and elf in Asgard at some point or another, including her own brother Frey.

Freya was a lover of fine material possessions, more specifically jewelry. Gold was said to be the tears of Freya which fell all over the earth while she searched for her lost husband. Her husband was Odin, but he went under the name Od during his travels throughout the mortal world. Of all Norse gods and goddesses only Odin rivaled Freya when it came to magical abilities. She was the divine model of a Viking Age sorceress. It was said in one Old Norse poem that she went from house to house in the mortal world giving prophecies, chanting, and preforming all kinds of rituals for her human hosts. Freya taught Odin much of what he knew when it came to magic.

Frigg was Odin’s official wife, but it has been determined that she is an exact duplication of Freya, making them one and the same. The other difference between the two woman was Odin was simply called Od in reference to Freya, but he was called Odin by Frigg. Frigg was also noted for sleeping with both of Odin’s brothers while Odin was exiled. She also slept with a slave at one point. Freya and Frigg were very popular with the woman during the Viking Age because of her connection to fertility.

Although Odin was the leader of the gods, Thor was by far the most popular of the northern gods during the Viking Age. The name “Thor” translates to “Thunder”. Thor was the divine force that manifested in physical thunder. Thor was also a very popular war god. The difference between Odin’s war tactics and Thor’s was simple: Odin was cunning and intellectual, while Thor was portrayed as a brawny and hot-tempered. He was most known for his signature weapon: the hammer. Its name was Mjollnir which translates to “Lightning”. Thor was the strongest and masculine of all Norse gods. He also wore a “belt of strength” that doubled his already insane physical strength.

Not only were Thor’s methods of war different than that of Odin’s, but so were his motivations and goals. Odin was self-centered, but Thor was a selfless defender of the gods. When the Norse people heard thunder in the air it was said that Thor was riding his chariot into battle. Each bolt of lightning they saw was Thor’s hammer connecting on an enemy giant. Hence the thunder and lightning combination was Thor protecting his kingdom of Asgard from fierce giants.

Thor was the patron and model of the loyal, honorable warrior. Thor was considered the “champion of the common people”. His straightforward, masculine personality was more fitting to the Vikings life style. He was a relatable deity and a role model to all Viking customs and values. This was the reason for him being more popular than even the king of all gods: Odin.

Thor was known for much more than just war. It was said that “Thor and his hammer were frequently invoked to hallow births, marriages, funerals, the forging and use of weapons, the carving of runic inscriptions, feasting, traveling, the establishment of new settlements, the planting of crops, and the swearing of oaths”. Basically, anyone could call upon the thunder god for any reason and it would still be deemed appropriate. The great majority of Norse commoners were farmers. Thor was in charge of bringing rainstorms to furnish and grow their crops which again was another reason for his popularity.

 

Odin was considered to be the chief of the gods. He was often found far away from Asgard, the kingdom of the gods, on long wanderings throughout the cosmos on trips that were purely for his own selfish reasons. He did not care about the most common human values of justice, fairness, or respect for law and customs. He was seen as the divine patron for both rulers and outcasts. Odin was a walking contradiction. He was a war god, but also a poetry god. He was worshiped by those seeking prestige and fame, but he was also cursed for being a trickster. The Norse people had over 200 names for Odin as he was a very complicated deity and was known for so many different things.

The Nose were extremely warlike people and therefore had several gods that were known for exactly this. Odin was mostly known for the raw intensity that was felt inside a person during battle. Warriors that were closely tied to Odin were known as berserkers. It was said that these warriors took on the spirit, and sometimes the physical form, of wolves and bears. They charged and howled onto the battlefield with absolutely no concern for their own wellbeing. They did not fear death. Berserkers did not wear armor into battle, but instead wolf and bear skins. They were furious on the battlefield and extremely dangerous when lost in the midst of fighting. Odin was not one to be trusted. He was known for granting victory to mortals by breaking the rules. He also was willing to break oaths he had sworn, which in Norse society was one of the most unforgivable things someone could do. An honorable warrior would not want to follow Odin’s lead.  He was unpredictable, unfair, and a trickster. But Odin’s favored warriors were always elite and exceptional in one way or another. Since Odin was the leader of the gods, he was the natural choice to be the patron for human rulers and kings. Odin and his followers were known to rule with raw power as their biggest strength. Odin was on of the most mysterious, powerful, and complex of all the Norse gods and goddesses.