Week Nine Reaction: Norse Mythology

I enjoyed the introduction to the Norse Mythology book, mostly because it is such a departure from the Icelandic Sagas we have been focusing on. The most mystical element of those sagas has been dreams, and the demon in the privy at night, and some vague references to the gods. In contrast, this section was full of gods and elves and giants-- reminded me a lot of Lord of the Rings, which I have to admit I am a big fan of. I can totally see how Tolkien was influenced by Norse mythology. The story on page 14 where a dwarf turns into stone when the sun rises completely parallels a scene in The Hobbit. And the reference on page 19 to a "gold and cursed ring that plays a large role in heroic legend"... but I digress.

Some of the historical elements I found particuarly interesing were the origins of the Goths, Vandals, and Anglo-Saxons (all from Scandinavia), as well as the integration of Trojan warriors Priam and Agamemmnon into Snorri's version of Thor's parentage, and the Viking influence in naming Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. I also liked the section which described poetry, although I was very surprised to learn that meter is a factor in composing poems, because I had considered all the ones we've read so far free verse. The elements of meter must get lost in translation.

I found the entry on Baldr particuarly fascinating, mostly because there are two completely different stories involved. Although the author attempts to find similarities, the only real connection between the two is vengeance, which as we have seen is an element in the majority of the Icelandic Sagas. I thought that Frigg, Odin's wife, showed extreme stupidity in readily telling Loki, disguised as a woman, that the only living thing that can kill Baldr is mistletoe. That kind of thing should be kept secret if you go to the great trouble of getting an oath from every living thing, in my opinion.

I also read the entry on the Ginnunga Gap, which is the "primeval void that existed before the creation of the cosmos" (141). Snorri essentially writes that human beings emerged from poisonous ice that melted in an evil wind. A person called Ymir was created, and then his body formed the cosmos. I find creationism stories fascinating and thought this one was pretty unique.