Transcript Norse Mythology - Valdosta State University

Norse Mythology
The collective myths of the Scandinavians
(Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland).
Viking Era
There are several similarities between Norse
Mythology and Greek/Roman Mythology
 Norse myths were codified during the Viking
era: 780 - 1070
 Travel as far east as the Caspian sea
 Fashioned after the fall of the Roman empire
 Made many expeditions into Britain
Norse Society
An extension of the society that fashions it
 Similar to Greek and Roman Mythology
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Explanation of the powerful forces which affect and
shape it
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weather, the elements, and nature
Gods and Goddesses
super-human powers
 fraught with very human frailties and flaws
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Gods
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There are three Gods who do not have Roman/Greek/Norse
counterparts
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Thor
 Son of Odin
 God of thunder
 axe-hammer – Mjolnir
 iron gloves and a belt of strength
Athena
 Greek/Roman Goddess
 Daughter of Zeus and Metis
 Virgin Goddess
 embodiment of wisdom, reason, and purity
Loki
 Giant
 Enemy of the Norse Gods
 Became God through Odin
 Son is Fenris (Wolf)
Paganism
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Europe was Christianized for almost a thousand years, but the
Norwegians were still worshipping their old pagan gods.
Cold and Heat
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Ymer
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A giant troll
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left armpit: a male and a female emerged
Feet: a son with six heads
 Rime Giants, sometimes called trolls, but best known as Jotuns
Audhumla
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a colossal cow
Licked rock to create first God
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Created Bure
 descended the gods, whom we call Æsir.
The Vikings
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Teutonic people (Germanic)
Great chivalry
Barbaric cruelty (war, looting, aggression, rape
and other crimes)
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Pillaged eastern coastline
Killing men, killing children, and raping women
 Methods of slaughtering peasant fisherfolk were
horrendous
 Galwegian warriors
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Impaling babies
Videoclips
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/interactive/audio
_video/