Viking Tales Chris Rose
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MA Ritgerð in Search of Askr Yggdrasill
MA ritgerð Norræn trú In Search of askr Yggdrasill A Phenomenological Approach to the Role of Trees in Old Nordic Religions Jan Aksel Harder Klitgaard Leiðbeinandi: Terry Adrian Gunnell Júní 2018 In Search of askr Yggdrasill A Phenomenological Approach to the Role of Trees in Old Nordic Religions Jan Aksel Harder Klitgaard Lokaverkefni til MA–gráðu í Norrænni trú Leiðbeinandi: Terry Adrian Gunnell 60 einingar Félags– og mannvísindadeild Félagsvísindasvið Háskóla Íslands Júni, 2018 In Search of askr Yggdrasill Ritgerð þessi er lokaverkefni til MA-gráðu í Norrænni trú og er óheimilt að afrita ritgerðina á nokkurn hátt nema með leyfi rétthafa. © Jan Aksel Harder Klitgaard, 2018 Prentun: Háskólaprent Reykjavík, Ísland, 2018 Abstract This thesis contains a study of the role of trees in Old Nordic religions during the Iron Age and Viking Age from a phenomenological and comparative perspective and includes three discussion chapters, each with its own main topic: the world-tree; trees as people and vice versa; and real living trees. It has been conducted in order to clarify certain issues regarding how ancient Scandinavians might have perceived the world and then in particular trees, metaphysical trees and real trees. In the discussion chapters, the thesis reflects upon narratives in the extant written source material which would have been part of the phenomenology of trees, in the light of the ever-growing bulk of archaeological material reflecting remnants of symbolic and ritualistic behaviour relating to trees. The project argues that we need to sidestep with our modern perception of the world if we wish to understand how trees might have been understood in a religious sense in the Old Nordic world. -
The Goddess: Myths of the Great Mother Christopher R
Gettysburg College Faculty Books 2-2016 The Goddess: Myths of the Great Mother Christopher R. Fee Gettysburg College David Leeming University of Connecticut Follow this and additional works at: https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/books Part of the English Language and Literature Commons, Folklore Commons, and the Religion Commons Share feedback about the accessibility of this item. Fee, Christopher R., and David Leeming. The Goddess: Myths of the Great Mother. London, England: Reaktion Press, 2016. This is the publisher's version of the work. This publication appears in Gettysburg College's institutional repository by permission of the copyright owner for personal use, not for redistribution. Cupola permanent link: https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/books/95 This open access book is brought to you by The uC pola: Scholarship at Gettysburg College. It has been accepted for inclusion by an authorized administrator of The uC pola. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Goddess: Myths of the Great Mother Description The Goddess is all around us: Her face is reflected in the burgeoning new growth of every ensuing spring; her power is evident in the miracle of conception and childbirth and in the newborn’s cry as it searches for the nurturing breast; we glimpse her in the alluring beauty of youth, in the incredible power of sexual attraction, in the affection of family gatherings, and in the gentle caring of loved ones as they leave the mortal world. The Goddess is with us in the everyday miracles of life, growth, and death which always have surrounded us and always will, and this ubiquity speaks to the enduring presence and changing masks of the universal power people have always recognized in their lives. -
An Extract from Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman the Highest and Oldest
Odin An extract from Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman The highest and oldest of all the gods is Odin. Odin knows many secrets. He gave an eye for wisdom. More than that, for knowledge of runes and for power, he sacrificed himself to himself. He hung from the world-tree, Yggdrasil, hung there for nine nights. His side was pierced by the point of a spear, which wounded him gravely. The wins clutched at him, buffeted his body as it hung. Nothing did he eat for nine days or nine nights, nothing did he drink. He was alone there, in pain, the light of his life slowly going out. He was cold, in agony, and on the point of death his sacrifice bore dark fruit: in the ecstasy of his agony he looked down, and the runes were revealed to him. He knew them, and understood them and their power. The rope broke then, and he fell, screaming, from the tree. Now he understood the magic. Now the world was his to control. Odin has many names. He is the all-father, the lord of the slain, the gallows god. He is the god of cargoes and of prisoners. He is called Grimnir and Third. He has different names in every country (for he is worshipped in different forms and in many tongues, but it is always Odin they worship.) He travels from place to place in disguise, to see the world as people see it. When he walks among us, he does so as a tall man, wearing a cloak and hat. -
Norse Mythology
N O R S E M Y T H O L O G Y N E I L G A I M A N W. W. NORTON & COMPANY Independent Publishers Since 1923 New York • London FOR EVERETT, OLD STORIES FOR A NEW BOY. C O N T E N T S An Introduction THE PLAYERS BEFORE THE BEGINNING, AND AFTER YGGDRASIL AND THE NINE WORLDS MIMIR’S HEAD AND ODIN’S EYE THE TREASURES OF THE GODS THE MASTER BUILDER THE CHILDREN OF LOKI FREYA’S UNUSUAL WEDDING THE MEAD OF POETS THOR’S JOURNEY TO THE LAND OF THE GIANTS THE APPLES OF IMMORTALITY THE STORY OF GERD AND FREY HYMIR AND THOR’S FISHING EXPEDITION THE DEATH OF BALDER THE LAST DAYS OF LOKI RAGNAROK: THE FINAL DESTINY OF THE GODS A Glossary A N I N T R O D U C T I O N It’s as hard to have a favorite sequence of myths as it is to have a favorite style of cooking (some nights you might want Thai food, some nights sushi, other nights you crave the plain home cooking you grew up on). But if I had to declare a favorite, it would probably be for the Norse myths. My first encounter with Asgard and its inhabitants was as a small boy, no more than seven, reading the adventures of the Mighty Thor as depicted by American comics artist Jack Kirby, in stories plotted by Kirby and Stan Lee and dialogued by Stan Lee’s brother, Larry Lieber. Kirby’s Thor was powerful and good-looking, his Asgard a towering science fictional city of imposing buildings and dangerous edifices, his Odin wise and noble, his Loki a sardonic horn-helmeted creature of pure mischief. -
Yggdrasil: Asgard Rulebook
All the base rules for Yggdrasil still apply when playing with this expansion except for the transe and Hel’s effect. In renouncing my divinity, My brothers’ power grew mightily. For, by the magic of the Sejdr, Trance These worlds and I are now bound. In a selfless act of sacrifice, a God can enter a trance to increase all of the other Gods’ power. This expansion adds a new action in addition to the original nine. For one action, the active God can enter or leave a trance. Simply turn the God sheet over to the other side (normal or trance). The active God cannot enter and leave a trance during the same turn. Trance As long as a God is in a trance, • he and all the Gods get a new power: the Trance Power of the God under the trance. The Trance Power can be used by any of the Gods, including the one under the trance. However • This God under a trance loses his Personal Power and • the God under a trance cannot perform an action in Asgard, i.e., the God under a trance cannot attack one of the six enemies. Personal Power Trance Power el The Viking counters that Hel removes from the H bags are not placed on the World of the Dead any more, but are permanently discarded. The Gods cannot use them again during the game. At the beginning of his turn, Odin draws 2 When they play on the Ice Fortress and Enemy cards instead of one, chooses which defeat a Giant, the Gods discard the Giant one he wants to play and puts the other one of their choice, one who is active or one odin back on or under the deck. -
Year 7: Myths and Legends Home Pack
Year 7: Myths and Legends home pack Name: Form: Teacher: School week 7 W.C. 02.11.2020 Lesson 1: This week, you are going to look at the introduction of the human hero. Previously to this, our focus has been on characters who are Gods or part of the supernatural in some way. What is a hero? How many examples can you give of a hero? • • • • • • Below are Propp’s character conventions. These are characters you can expect to see in a traditional adventure story and what their role is. How do you think the heroic figure has changed over time? Think about what the Greek expectations were, then Roman and what we are familiar with today. Greek Roman Modern In the past, we have looked at heroes as masculine figures. Do you think this is still relevant today? Do we expect heroes to be masculine? Explain your thinking. Why is it important to have a human hero? How does it impact the story and the reader’s relationship with it? Lesson 2: What are the purpose of the following characters, according to Propp’s conventions. Do this from memory first and then you can look back to complete any that are missing. Hero – Villain – Doner – Helper – Princess – Dispatcher – Princess’ father – False hero - Read ‘The Sword in the Stone’. Does it fit any of the seven basic plots? Which one and why? How is Arthur presented as a heroic character? Use the questions below to help you: What is Arthur like? Arthur is presented as a heroic character as he is… How does the text show us this? This is shown when… The Sword in the Stone Our story begins in the fifth century with King Uther who reigned in the south of Britain. -
Yggdrasil and the Stave Church
Volume 31 Number 1 Article 2 10-15-2012 Yggdrasil and the Stave Church G. Ronald Murphy Georgetown University, DC Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore Part of the Children's and Young Adult Literature Commons Recommended Citation Murphy, G. Ronald (2012) "Yggdrasil and the Stave Church," Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature: Vol. 31 : No. 1 , Article 2. Available at: https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore/vol31/iss1/2 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Mythopoeic Society at SWOSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature by an authorized editor of SWOSU Digital Commons. An ADA compliant document is available upon request. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To join the Mythopoeic Society go to: http://www.mythsoc.org/join.htm Mythcon 51: A VIRTUAL “HALFLING” MYTHCON July 31 - August 1, 2021 (Saturday and Sunday) http://www.mythsoc.org/mythcon/mythcon-51.htm Mythcon 52: The Mythic, the Fantastic, and the Alien Albuquerque, New Mexico; July 29 - August 1, 2022 http://www.mythsoc.org/mythcon/mythcon-52.htm Abstract In this excerpt from his book, Tree of Salvation, Murphy explores how those who introduced Christianity to Scandinavia deliberately adapted and “translated” Norse religious motifs and practices in two parallel ways—through literary works, especially as seen in the Heliand, but also through church art and architecture. In this illustrated essay, we can see how beliefs about Yggdrasil and Ragnarok are incorporated and transformed in the design and ornamentation of the unusual stave churches of Norway. -
The Warrior Christ and His Gallows Tree
BACHELOR THESIS ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE THE WARRIOR CHRIST AND HIS GALLOWS TREE The Dream of the Rood as an Example of Religious Syncretism MARIUS T. KOELINK SUPERVISED BY DRS. MONIQUE TANGELDER RADBOUD UNIVERSITY NIJMEGEN Abstract The Dream of the Rood is an Old English poem that contains both pagan and Christian elements. This mix has given rise to much debate on the nature of the pagan-Christian relationship in the Dream’s religiosity. The argument here is that Anglo-Saxon Christianity should be understood as a syncretic religion: a unique blend of different cultural and religious traditions that have merged into a seamless whole. Syncretism and inculturation are often used as blanket terms for interreligious phenomena, but Baer’s framework describes syncretism as a specific stage in the conversion process. Using syncretism as a framework, we see that the pagan elements in the Dream are projected onto Christian concepts and even used to strengthen Christian narratives. This is Christianity as experienced through a pagan heritage. There is no exhaustive theoretical framework of syncretism, but the Dream’s religiosity may serve as a case study to expand existing theories. Keywords: syncretism, The Dream of the Rood, Old English, poetry, Anglo-Saxon, Christianity, paganism, inculturation, religion Table of Contents Introduction 1 1. Searching for Anglo-Saxon Paganism 3 1.1 Vanished Paganism 3 1.2 Hidden Paganism 4 1.3 Lost Paganism 5 2. The Shape of Anglo-Saxon Christianity 7 2.1 Syncretism: An Introduction 7 2.2 Anglo-Saxon Christianity as a Syncretic Religion 11 2.3 Remaining Difficulties 15 3. -
Mythical Monsters
Sinéad O’Hart The Eye of the North Resources MYTHICAL MONSTERS The Legends Behind the Creatures of The Eye of the North Ratatosk Ratatosk, or Ratatoskr, is not named in The Eye of the North but is alluded to in Chapter One, when Emmeline describes the giant squirrel her parents brought home from an early expedition. Ratastosk is a squirrel in Norse mythology who lives in the great world-tree, Yggdrasil [Ig-dra-zil], and who scampers up and down the tree carrying messages from the eagle who lives at top of the tree to the serpent Níðhogg [Neeth-hog] who gnaws eternally at its roots. Yggdrasil connects the nine worlds of Norse mythology, from Asgard at the top, where the gods live, to Hel, the world of the dead. The world of humans is Midgard, which means ‘Middle-Earth’; this might sound familiar to anyone who has read The Lord of the Rings. Midgard is one of the nine worlds. The Æsirsmounts The Æsir [Ay-seer] is the word used to describe one of the Norse pantheons* of gods and goddesses (though the goddesses also had the word Ásynjur [Aw-seen-yur] to describe them collectively on their own). The other pantheon was known as the Vanir. Most of the gods and goddesses you’ve probably heard of in Norse mythology belong to the Æsir – gods like Thor, Odin, Frigg, Freyja, Tyr, Loki, Heimdall, Baldr and many more. So, Æsirsmounts was the term I came up with to describe the horses which would have carried these ancient deities across the ice of the frozen North. -
Sacred Trees of Norway and Sweden: a Friluftsliv Quest
SACRED TREES OF NORWAY AND SWEDEN: A FRILUFTSLIV QUEST Douglas Forell Hulmes Professor of Environmental Studies Prescott College 220 Grove Avenue Prescott, AZ 86303 Arizona, U.S.A. [email protected] Prepared for: Henrik Ibsen: The Birth of “Friluftsliv” A 150 Year International Dialogue Conference Jubilee Celebration North Troendelag University College, Levanger, Norway Mountains of Norwegian/Swedish Border September 14-19, 2009 1 SACRED TREES OF NORWAY AND SWEDEN: A FRILUFTSLIV QUEST Abstract What began as a curiosity about the traditions and folklore related to trees planted in the center of many farms in Norway, „Tuntre‟, and Sweden, „Vårdträd‟, led me to a recognition of a tradition that can still be observed in the cultural landscape today. The tradition can be traced as far back as the Viking period, and directly linked to the mythology of the World Tree, Yggdrasil. I have been studying these traditions as they relate to the field of environmental education as an example of mythopoetic stories and folklore that influence moral and ethical regard for nature. Two areas that I feel are relevant to perspectives of „Friluftsliv‟ are: *How does the mythology and folklore of a culture influence their perception of place? *How does ecological knowledge of a landscape compare with „kjennskap‟, or what is sacred in a landscape? Key Words: „Tuntre/Vårdträd‟, Cultural Landscape, Mythopoetic traditions, „Kjennskap‟, Sacred. Introduction: A special tradition that is shared by many Scandinavians is the planting or the knowing of a special tree in Swedish called a „Vårdträd‟, and in Norwegian a „Tuntre‟; a sacred tree planted in the center of the yard on a family farm that reflects an intimacy with place. -
Reading Comprehension Based Upon Viking Gods. Have You Heard About
English - Monday 4th May LO – Reading comprehension based upon Viking Gods. Have you heard about the character Thor? What do you know about him? Well Thor is a character (actually a Viking God) that belongs to Norse mythology’ Do you anything about Viking Gods and Norse mythology? Maybe do a little Google or book research – they were very colourful characters indeed! Today’s reading comprehension is a traditional tale based upon these Viking Gods so the language style will seem a little unusual. There are also some strange names and places mentioned, so take extra care with your reading. You’ll find the story on the next page. The answers are at the bottom. Good luck! Odin’s Reward - extract This is a story from Norse mythology about Odin, the chief of the Aesir (the gods of Asgard). One night when all was quiet in Asgard and the Aesir had gone to rest, Odin, the Allfather, sat awake on his high throne, troubled with many thoughts. At his feet crouched his two faithful wolves, and upon his shoulders perched the two ravens of thought and memory, who flew far abroad every day, through the nine worlds, as Odin’s messengers. The Allfather had need of great wisdom in ruling the worlds; after thinking a long time on the matters which needed his care, he suddenly started up, and went forth with long strides from his palace of Gladsheim into the night. He soon returned, leading his beautiful, eight- footed steed, Sleipnir, and it was plain that Odin was going on a journey. -
Valkyrie Profile CYOA
Valkyrie Profile CYOA In Valhalla in the land of Asgard, the Aesir rule from on high. There they're locked in an eternal war with the Vanir and the undead forces of Hel, and so they send the Chooser of the Slain, the Valkyrie, down to the world of Midgard below to gather souls to make into Einherjar. The world of Midgard is in all eras like medieval Earth, constantly full of misery and war, only with other races, monsters, and magic thrown in to create more tragedy. Here the Battle Maiden picks through the killing fields for the dead and dying, taking the strongest with her for training and eventual ascension. Some see her as a blessed figure, who honors brave warriors with glory and eternal life. Others see her as a death goddess, who cruelly steals away their loved ones. Once she has performed her duty for long enough, she sleeps in mortal guise while her one of her sisters takes her place, perpetuating the cycle of fate. And so the wars in Asgard and Midgard continue in eternally. All is not as simple as it seems, however, and all that is benevolent is not not so. Perhaps the Aesir are not as noble as they appear to be, for time and again their servants rebel against them, only further creating strife. It is in this world that you find yourself for ten years, but thankfully you are not left with nothing. You have 1000 CP to choose your fate. Location Roll 1d8 to determine your starting location.