Norse Mythology
Norse Mythology
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Norse mythology is the body of myths of the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Norse paganism and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia, and into the Scandinavian folklore of the modern period.
Norse mythology is the traditional belief system of the people of Scandinavia, which includes the myths, legends, and religious beliefs of the ancient Norse. Here are a few examples of famous myths from Norse mythology:
- The story of the creation of the world: According to Norse mythology, the world was created by the god, Odin, Vili and Ve. They created the world from the body of the giant Ymir.
- The story of Thor: Thor is the god of thunder and is known for his strength and courage. He is often depicted as a fierce warrior, wielding a powerful hammer.
- The story of Odin: Odin is the chief of the gods and is known as the All-Father. He is the god of wisdom, poetry, and war, and is often depicted as a one-eyed old man.
- The story of Loki: Loki is the trickster god of Norse mythology and is known for his cunning and wit. He is often depicted as a shape-shifter and is considered a bringer of chaos and mischief.
- The story of Ragnarok: Ragnarok is the end of the world in Norse mythology, where gods, giants and monsters will fight in a great battle that will ultimately lead to the death of many gods and the destruction of the world.
These myths, along with others, are used by the Norse people to explain the origins of their people and their customs and to reinforce their traditional beliefs and values. Norse mythology is polytheistic, with a pantheon of gods and goddesses, and it was an important aspect of the Norse religion.
Norse Mythology Legends
Einherjar
In Norse mythology, the einherjar (Old Norse literally "army of one", "those who fight alone"[1][2]) are those who have died in battle and are brought to Valhalla by valkyries. In Valhalla, the einherjar eat their fill of the nightly-resurrecting bea...
Guðmundr
Guðmundr (Old Norse, sometimes anglicised as Godmund) was a semi-legendary Norse king in Jotunheim, ruling over a land called Glæsisvellir, which was known as the warrior's paradise.
Frey
Njordâ's son is Frey, who is fair to look upon, mightier and more
valorous than even his own father. He governs weather and tillage; in his
hand lie prosperity, joy, and peace. Like Njord, Frey is called Scion of the
Vanir, the Vanir-God; also, God o...
THOR
He it was who men and their labors from the wild forces of nature, personified as Giants.
Thus he held sway in certain Northern regions over air and climate,
over rain and harvest. 2 As the god of fertility, however, he had to divide his
rule with t...
Angantyr the Berserker
Angantyr's father Arngrim had given him the magic sword Tyrfing, which cut through anything as if through cloth, and which killed a man every time it was unsheathed. He was the tallest of the twelve sons of the berserker Arngrim, and he and his eleve...
Bragi
Bragi, son of Odin, is the god of eloquence and the art of poetry. Our
forefathers thought of him as a venerable man with a long beard. After him,
according to Snorri, all manner of minstrelsy is given the title bragr. Idun is
his wife; to her belong...
BjArn Ironside
BjÃrn Ironside was a historical Norse Viking chief and Scandinavian king. According to the 12th- and 13th-century Scandinavian histories, he was the son of the notorious Viking king Ragnar Lodbrok and himself a legendary king of Sweden. He lived in t...
Gibica
Gibica (also known as Gjúki, Giuki, or Gibicho) is a figure from Norse mythology, prominently featured in the Völsunga saga and in the Nibelungenlied, a Middle High German epic poem. In these sagas, he is portrayed as a king and the father of a signi...
Angantyr Heidreksson
Heidrek would have the daughter Hervor and the sons Angantyr and Hlöd. When Heidrek, the king of the Goths died, Angantyr inherited and refused to give Hlöd equal share. Hlöd attacked with the Hunnish army and in an epic battle, Hlöd was slain. A...
Beowulf
Beowulf is actually not part of Norse mythology but rather an epic poem from Anglo-Saxon (Old English) literature. While it is true that the poem features themes, characters, and settings that are reminiscent of Norse and Germanic folklore, it is dis...
Egil, brother of Volund
Egil is a legendary hero of the Völundarkviða and the Thidreks saga. The name is from Proto-Germanic *Agilaz[1] and the same legend is reflected in Old English Ægil [æɡiɫ] of the Franks Casket and Alamannic Aigil of the Pforzen buckle.
The Pro...
Helgi Haddingjaskati
Halga, Helgi, Helghe or Helgo was a legendary Danish king living in the early 6th century.[1] His name would in his own language (Proto-Norse) have been *Hailaga[2] (dedicated to the gods).
Scholars generally agree that he appears in both Anglo-Saxo...
Norse Mythology in POP Culture
Thor: Ragnarok
No Hammer. No Problem.
Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is imprisoned on the other side of the universe and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarök, the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization, at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela (Cate Blanche...
Thor: The Dark World
There was darkness.
Thousands of years ago, a race of beings known as Dark Elves tried to send the universe into darkness by using a weapon known as the Aether. Warriors from Asgard stopped them, but their leader Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) escaped to wait for another opportunity. The warriors find the Aether, and...
Thor
Two worlds. One hero.
The warrior Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard by his father Odin (Sir Anthony Hopkins) for his arrogance and sent to Earth to live amongst humans. Falling in love with scientist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) teaches Thor much-needed lessons, and his new-found streng...
Norse Mythology based games
Titan Quest
An action role-playing hack and slash game set in ancient Greece, Egypt, and Asia.
Release Date: 2006-06-26
Developer: Iron Lore Entertainment
Publisher: THQ
Platform: Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360
Genre: Action role-playing
Rating: 8
God of War
God of War is a story of a father and his son, set in the realm of Norse gods and monsters. The game follows the journey of Kratos, a former Spartan warrior, who is now a father and must learn to control his rage to save his son and the world.
Release Date: 2018-04-20
Developer: Santa Monica Studio
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platform: PlayStation 4
Genre: Action-Adventure
Rating: 9
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
An action-adventure game in which players control a young man named Link, who sets out on a quest to rescue Princess Zelda and defeat Calamity Ganon.
Release Date: 2017-03-03
Developer: Nintendo EPD
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo Switch, Wii U
Genre: Action-adventure
Rating: 9.5
Age of Mythology
Age of Mythology is a real-time strategy game set in the ancient world, players control one of three civilizations (Greek, Egyptian, Norse) and use the powers of their gods to defeat their enemies.
Release Date: 2002-10-01
Developer: Ensemble Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Platform: PC
Genre: Real-time strategy
Rating: 8
Bayonetta
An action hack and slash game in which players control a witch named Bayonetta as she fights against angels and other supernatural enemies.
Release Date: 2009-10-29
Developer: PlatinumGames
Publisher: Sega
Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U
Genre: Action
Rating: 8.5
