Surt (Old Norse Surtr, “Black,”[1] presumably a reference to his charred appearance) is a fire giant who leads his kin into battle against the Aesir and Vanir gods during Ragnarok, the destruction of the cosmos. His particular fate is to kill the god Freyr and to be slain by him in turn. He arrives from … Continue reading Surt
Not too long ago, a friend of mine asked me if I was ready for Ragnarok. I responded with a puzzled look, because I had no idea what he was talking about. He then told me that he had read that “the Germanic calendar” had predicted that Ragnarok would happen on February 22nd, 2014. This … Continue reading Why Ragnarok is Not Going to Happen on February 22nd
Ragnarok is the cataclysmic destruction of the cosmos and everything in it – even the gods. When Norse mythology is considered as a chronological set of tales, the story of Ragnarok naturally comes at the very end. For the Vikings, the myth of Ragnarok was a prophecy of what was to come at some unspecified … Continue reading Ragnarok
Muspelheim (pronounced “MOO-spell-hame;” Old Norse Múspellsheimr, “The World of Múspell“) is one of the Nine Worlds and the home of the fire giants. The word “Muspelheim” is recorded only in the Prose Edda of Snorri Sturluson, a late work that can’t be taken at face value as representing authentic pre-Christian Norse mythology. However, the basic … Continue reading Muspelheim
Freyr (pronounced “FREY-ur;” Old Norse Freyr, “Lord;” sometimes anglicized as “Frey”) is a god who belongs to the Vanir tribe of deities. He’s also an honorary member of the other tribe of Norse gods, the Aesir, having arrived in their fortress, Asgard, as a hostage at the closing of the Aesir-Vanir War. Freyr was one … Continue reading Freyr
The gods and other spiritual beings of Norse mythology are among the most wondrous and unique of any mythology. The Norse gods had very human-like personalities and frequently intervened in human affairs, but were larger-than-life and awe-inspiring in ways that decisively set them apart from mere humans. Their characters were often richly complex and multifaceted; … Continue reading Gods and Creatures