Transcript Norse Mythology

Norse Mythology
AN INTRODUCTION
What do you mean by Norse?
 “Norse”=Scandinavian region of
Europe
 This includes:
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Denmark
It’s not a very happy place in 700 A.D.
Norse myth is not uplifting or
joyful
It is solemn and grave
This is due to the difficult life of
the people
So who were these people?
Farmers, fishermen, kings and
warriors
Known mostly as Vikings
Viking age was 700 A.D. to 1000
A.D.
Norse mythology
Spread during the Viking Age
Due to the nomadic nature of
the Vikings, their mythology
spread to far away parts of the
world
Major concepts in Norse Myth
Fate
Valhalla
The Nine Worlds
Fate
 Believed everything in their lives
was predetermined
 gods could not avoid destiny
 Some gods knew their fate and
could not avoid it
 Even though knew date, lived
heroically to reach Valhalla
………………
 Like Greeks because they believe in
fate
 Unlike Greeks because the gods do not
control fate, they are ruled by it.
 Greeks try to change fate (and fail),
Norse do not
 Greek gods meddle, Norse have little
interaction
----
Even though they might
know the date of their fate,
they lived heroically to reach
Valhalla
Valhalla
Valkyries take heroic men killed
in battle to Valhalla (a great
golden hall)
At Valhalla, they train to fight in
Ragnarok
The Nine Worlds
The nine worlds are linked
together by a giant ash tree
called Yggdrasil
The 3 worlds in the upper level
Asgard-where the gods live,
Valhalla also located here
Alfheim-Home of the light elves
Vanaheim-Home of the Vanir
(gods who can see the future)
The 3 worlds in the middle level
Midgard-Where the humans live
Jotunheim- Where the giants
live
Nidavellir-Where the dwarves
live
The 3 worlds in the lower level
 Svartalfaheim- The dark, ground
world of the elves
 Niflheim- Underworld made of ice,
ruled by Hel, world of the dead
 Muspelheim-Underground world
of fire
Family One
Modi
Thor
Magni
Balder
Bragi
Odin’s
Family
Bor
Odin
Frigg
Hoder
Bestla
Villi
Hermod
Ve
Valkyries
Vidar
Idun
Family Two
Frey’s
family
Njord
Frey
Freya
Family Three
Loki’s Family
Loki
Fenrir
Hel
Jorgumander
Rank of the gods and goddess
gods:
goddesses:
Odin
Frigg
Thor
Freya
Frey
Interesting Jeopardy side note…
 Our days of the week are named for the Norse
gods:
 Sunday-The
Sun’s day
 Monday-The Moon’s day
 Tuesday- Tyr’s (the god of war) Day
 Wednesday- Odin’s (Woden) Day
 Thursday- Thor’s Day
 Friday- Freya’s Day
 Saturday-Saturn’s Day