Norse mythology is the set of beliefs, legends and myths that made up the religion of the so-called Scandinavian peoples . These are the narratives that marked the Age of Vikings (8th to 11th century AD), who inhabited the region currently covered by Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland, mainly. Norse gods and goddesses list
Like Greek, Roman and Egyptian mythologies, Norse (also known as Germanic) brings together several fantastic characters, such as gods, heroes, monsters, sorcerers and narratives that try to explain the origin of the universe and human beings.
A peculiarity in Norse mythology is the fact that the deities do not have eternal life. Just like humans, gods can die – as we noted during the event known as Ragnarök , which is the final battle between gods and giants that marks the end of time and the death of nearly all gods such as Thor and Odin. Norse gods and goddesses list
Main gods of Norse Mythology
god Odin
Odin is the father of the Norse gods. He is always accompanied by two ravens, Huginn (thought) and Muninn (memory). See more about Odin .
god Thor
Thor is god of thunder and son of Odin. This is considered one of the gods most worshiped and loved by the Norse, especially among peasants. His weapon was the Mjölnnir, a super powerful hammer that he used to fight giants. See more about Thor . Norse gods and goddesses list
god Loki
Loki is considered the “father of lies”. He’s half god and half giant. He is often described as a controversial god, because while he has an evil nature, he helps maintain balance in the world of the gods.
goddess Frigg
Frigga is the goddess of fertility, love and union. She is also known as Odin’s wife and Thor’s stepmother. For the Norse, Frigga was seen as the protector of the family and mothers.
god Freyr
Freyr is the god of abundance, considered the deity of prosperity, peace, marriages, good harvests, fertility, joy and peace. Norse gods and goddesses list
goddess Hela
Hela is the goddess of the Realm of the Dead (Helheim) and daughter of Loki. Half of the goddess’s body was that of a beautiful woman, while the other part consisted of a terrible decomposing body.
The Nine Worlds of Norse Mythology
One of the characteristics of Norse mythology, which differs from other mythologies, is the belief in the existence of 9 (nine) different worlds:
- Midgard: realm of human beings, that is, the planet Earth as we know it. This world was guarded by the goddess Jord.
- Asgard: Realm of the gods. This world is separated from Midgard by immense walls. The guardian is Heimdall. Odin and Frigga are the leaders of Asgard. The link between Midgard and Asgard is via the Bifrost , a rainbow-like bridge.
- Niflheim: Realm of ice and cold, ruled by Hela, the goddess of hell. In this world meet the ice giants and dwarves. Norse gods and goddesses list
- Vanaheim: world where the Vanir gods rest, responsible for favoring fertility, commerce, peace and pleasure.
- Svartalfheim: place where the subterranean beings, called svartálfar (“dark elves“) inhabited. The leader of this world is Hoder, the blind god of justice, son of Odin and Frigga.
- Jotunheim: world of the giants (Jotuns), predominantly of the rock and snow type. The leader of Jotunheim is Thrym, the king of giants.
- Nidavellir: Realm of the dwarves, located underground in Midgard. Nidavellir is led by Vidar, the god of revenge.
- Muspelheim: realm of the fire giants. The leader of this world is Surtr, the fire giant.
- Álfheim: realm of elves, magical beings of human appearance and great beauty.
Norse Mythology Symbols
- Yggdrasil: consists of a mythical and sacred tree, considered the “tree of life” and that sustains all 9 worlds.
- Valhalla: is the residence of the gods, also known as the “Hall of the Dead”. In this place the gods were received when they died with honor in their battles.
- Ragnarök: is the “end of the world”, according to Norse mythology. This episode represents the end of all creatures, whether humans, gods, monsters, heroes or giants. Norse gods and goddesses list
Norse mythology
Norse mythology is the set of beliefs, legends and myths that made up the religion of the so-called Scandinavian peoples . These are the narratives that marked the Age of Vikings (8th to 11th century AD), who inhabited the region currently covered by Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland, mainly.
Originally, Norse Mythology was transmitted orally, however, from the 13th century onwards, all the stories that formed Norse Mythology began to be recorded. It was the Icelandic poet and historian Snorri Sturluson (1179-1241) who collected the main stories about mythology and published the well-known Eddas – collections of poetry that relate the legends of the ancient Scandinavian peoples.
Like Greek, Roman and Egyptian mythologies, Norse (also known as Germanic) brings together several fantastic characters, such as gods, heroes, monsters, sorcerers and narratives that try to explain the origin of the universe and human beings. Norse gods and goddesses list
According to the Norse creation myth , it all started with the meeting of the realms of cold (Niflheim) and heat (Muspelheim). The first gods, Odin, Vé and Vili, forged the world as we know it today from the body parts of the original giant Ymir. The first humans were created by the gods from wood.
In Norse mythology, the world is represented by the cosmic tree Yggdrasill . It supports each of the nine worlds that make up the universe, including Asgard (the home of the gods) and Midgard (the home of humans).
An interesting peculiarity to observe in Norse mythology is the fact that the deities do not have eternal life. Just like humans, gods can die – as we noted during the event known as Ragnarök , which is the final battle between gods and giants that marks the end of time and the death of nearly all gods such as Thor and Odin. Norse gods and goddesses list
