Norse Creation Stories
Aesir
Asgard
Ask and Embla
Baldr
Bestla
Bor
Bragi
Buri
contests
Frigg
Frost ogres
Ganglieri
Gefjon
Genesis
Ginnungagap
Gylfi
Hel
Iceland
Midgard
Muspell
Niflhel/Niflheim
Odin
oral myth
parataxis
Ragnarok
Rationalization of myth
Sif
Snorri Sturluson
Thor
Troy
written myth
Ymir/Aurgelmir
The Norse Pantheon
(also Viking / Scandinavian / Germanic)
Balder (Balker)
Freya
Freyr
Frig
Loki
Njord
Odin (Woden)
Thor
Tyr
For quick ID's see:
http://fullmoon_deities.tripo
d.com/norse.html
1- Woden- Death, poetry, victory
2- Thor- Thunder and war
3- Tyr- War
4- Loki- Evil and fire
5- Balker- Light and beauty
6- Frey- Sun of fertility
7- Idum- Eternal youth
Norse Genealogy
•Hurstwic. Norse Literature
http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/literature/text/literature.htm
Snorri Sturluson
(1179-1241)
and the Prose Edda
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/
PARATAXIS
RATIONALIZATION
A 20th century sculpture of Snorri by Vigeland
Study Questions on Norse Creation Stories
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1.
What would it feel like to live as a believer in the stories Snorri tells? If
you worshipped the gods he describes, what would your view of the world
be? Would it be better or worse than living under the divine system
described by Hesiod and Ovid?
2.
Compare what Snorri says in his Prologue about the non-Norse
deities with what you have learned from ancient Greek and Roman sources
in Chapters 3 and 4.
3.
We read that Snorri Sturluson’s recounting of Norse myth (especially
in his Prologue) is rationalized. What would cause him to create such an
elaborate rationalization?
4.
Why are the Aesir so named, and why is this area important to Snorri?
5.
Draw a “map” of the world described by Snorri in the Prologue. How
does this reflect the events he describes?
6.
Compare the world of the Norse to that of the Israelites in Genesis.
7.
Compare the description of creation here with those in Genesis and
Hesiod. Make a chart that highlights important ideas.
8.
What is the parallel to Ginnungagap in Greek mythology?
9.
Describe briefly the steps in Icelandic myth leading up to the creation
of humans.
10. Explain what it means to say that Snorri rationalized myth in the
Prologue of the Prose Edda.
11. Describe Odin's "personality" as a god as evidenced by this section of
the Prose Edda. Give at least one example of how he treats humans.
Snorri’s Ptolemaic Universe
The illustration to the right is from
the section Gylfaginning (the
tricking of Gylfi), showing Gylfi in
a contest of wisdom with three
Æsir: High-One, Just-As-High,
and Third.
Geysir Strokkur
For animation see http://famtille.de/island/iceland/geysir/1998_extrastrokkur_ani.gif
Ymir
Óðin, Vili, and Vé take Ymir's
body to the center of
Ginnungagap. From his body,
they make the world.
Yggdrasil Norse World Tree
Yggdrasil Norse World Tree
The Norse World Tree or Yggdrasil is
depicted with Odin sacrificing himself as an
initiation into the Mysteries as referenced in
the Havamal. Above him Ratatosk, the
squirrel ferries insults between Niddhog the
dragon, the force of destruction in the tree's
roots and the Eagle who represents the
highest spiritual light. The three Norns are
seen as Past, Present and Future as they
constantly pour healing waters on the tree's
roots to heal the damage of Niddhogg.
Below them sits Hel in the Underworld
flanked by Asgard with its Rainbow Bridge
and Jotunheim with Mimir's head.
Norse Creation Stories
Add: Gylfaginning
Yggdrasil
Aesir
Asgard
Baldr
Bragi
Contests
Frigg
Frost Ogres
Ganglieri
Genesis
Ginnungagap
Gylfi
Iceland
Midgard
Odin
Parataxis
Rationalization
of Myth
Snorri Sturluson
Thor
Troy
Ymir/Aurgelmir