Essay Sample about Viking Age: Norse Mythology

Introduction

From 793- 1066 AD during the Middle Ages, Norsemen, also known as Vikings, took raiding, colonizing, conquest, and trading to a whole new level. Starting their journey in Europe and eventually reaching North America. During this time period the Scandinavians changed history in many places around the world; Ireland, England, Russia, and many other European countries. Throughout this time period there are many important characters to take note of, Odin, Thor, and Loki. There are many more but these tend to be the most talked about. Along with the characters there were also a few literacy techniques throughout the story worth mentioning. 

Odin

From earliest times Odin was known as the war god and poets, he was discovered long ago in heroic literature as the protector of heroes. Odin was one of the most powerful Norse gods and has archetypes like wisdom, knowledge, healing, death, and war. Odin was a great magician among the Gods associated with runes. He was a tall, old man, with a following beard and one one eye, in which he gave in exchange for wisdom. He ruled over the ‘hall of slain’ or more commonly known as Valhalla. Odin had one of the most important tasks of all, imbuing the first people with spirit and life, while Vili and Ve gave the power of movement and the capability of understanding. Due to Odin’s role in the Norse universe, he was known as the Giver of Life. In today’s day some religions may consider him to be a modern day God. He ruled over the Aesir, a group of deities, throughout Norse mythology. We learn many lessons from Odin, one being learning is a lifelong process, it begins in early childhood and continues on until your last breath. Whether you realize the chance to better yourself or no, Odin sure did. He would sit with intelligent ravens, high throne, magical runes, etc. He was able to observe the whole cosmos with his ravens scouring over the Nine Worlds whispering in his ear what they had seen, and drinking the holy water that provided him with infinite knowledge, he could read magical letters that carried the destiny of many. 

Thor

Another popular character in Norse mythology is Thor, the god of thunder, the sky, and agriculture. Thor is the son of Odin, chief of the gods, and husband of Sif, the fertility goddess. Thor is known to be holding a hammer, which is used to associate lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of mankind, hallowing, and fertility. Thor’s core values are community, trustworthiness, compassion, and adventure. Throughout Norse mythology Thor’s courage and sense of duty was unshakeable, he had physical strength which was unmatched compared to other gods. Some could call him unstoppable when it came to battle.  

Loki

The last character worth explaining in Norse mythology is Loki. He was known for his cunning tricks and ability to change his shape and sex. Some of the time Loki is busy getting the Æsir out of trouble, other times he’s the reason they're in trouble in the first place. Loki is also known to be a companion of Odin and Thor. He pulls tricks throughout the story like spoiling the feast, cutting Sif’s hair, morphing into a female horse, and playing with Thor’s hammer. All of which are what make him such an exquisite character and so meaningful. 

Metaphor

As explained this reading is known for its poetry and or personification, another character not mentioned was Ymir.  He was a hermaphrodite who could reproduce asexually, he was said to be the first being, who happened to be a giant created from drops of water. The name Ymir comes from the word “Screamer.” He was considered to be formless but that didn’t stop the gods from giving him a meaning, making his words out of screaming, metaphorically speaking, the wordless voice is the raw material from which words are made. Once he passed the world creation began, by using the remains of the giant. Ymir was dragged into the center of Ginnungagap, where they created the world. His blood became the oceans, rivers, and lakes. His flesh became land. 

Kenning

Kenning was another way the book captured its characters. Kenning was an expression in Old English and specifically used in Old Norse poetry which tends to have metaphorical meanings throughout the word or periphrasis. One common example would be “man of rings.” the kenning would be in the word “king.” In this story kings were men who gave out rings so it is fitting to call a king a “man of rings.” Another example in the story is, “The splendid hater of the fire of the sea defends the beloved of the enemy of the wolf; ships’ prows are set before the steep brows of Mim’s friend’s wife...” Folklore often associates gold with bodies of water, which is what the “fire of the sea” is referring to. Kenning is for gold. “Splendid hater of [gold]” refers to a king giving out gold to his followers as if he is trying to get rid of it. The “enemy of the wolf” is the god, Odin, who fights the wolf Fenrir. The last part refers to the word “beloved.” Odin uses this word for the Earth-goddess, Jord, some believe this was Odin’s wife. “Mim’s friend” is once again talking about Odin, and his “wife” Jord. Quotes like these can go on for a while and can take awhile to “decode” in order to better understand. 

Conclusion

Overall each one of these characters shaped Norse mythology and they are the true reason we know so much about it now. With the use of poetry and god-like characteristics all five characters had an outstanding impact as a viking.