Lessons

The Norse Gods continued

In the previous lecture we met four of the Norse gods and learned their main characteristics. It is important to recognize that this is not a topic outside the runes. Rather, it is integral to them and can help us understand the runes in two crucial ways:

• It can cast light on the beliefs and culture of the Vikings who used the runes. Since the behavior of the gods gives us an insight into the standards and mores of the heroic warrior society depicted in Norse literature, we can better appreciate the perspective on the world they had and hence the meanings they gave the runes.


• Because specific runes are linked to particular deities, comprehending those gods' natures better aids us in recognizing the same aspects in the runes.

For example, the modern view of war it that it is a terrible event usually won by those with the more advanced technology. While sometimes there is a moral dimension to war, such as in the Second World War, mostly the vilification of adversaries is a cynical way to justify decisions which have been made for other reasons. Hearing that someone is a god of war then is likely to make us assign them qualities such as aggression, cruelty, ruthlessness etc. In the case of Tyr, as we saw in the previous lecture, this would be a dreadful mistake.

To the early North Europeans though, victory in war was determined by Wyrd and hence the result of previous actions. Hence for them war was an instrument of justice and Tyr symbolized order and justice. If we are to properly understand his rune Tiwaz (Tir) and the qualities which it embodies, then we must make the effort first to understand him.

Consequently in this lesson we will be considering a further three gods. Of these two might be considered lesser players within the Norse pantheon, but not with respect to the runes. Frey is linked with two runes, and as we shall see, it was Heimdall (and not Odin) who gave the runes to mankind. Finally there is the great adversary, Loki, one of the most contradictory of the gods and though not directly associated with any rune, one whose characteristics links with many.

HEIMDALL

A tall handsome warrior with gold teeth and the son of nine maidens all sisters, Heimdall is one of the more mysterious gods. Though some writers describe him as a god of light, like Baldur, he defies easy categorization. The one aspect of his role which is certain is that of the Watcher god.

Heimdall is the guardian of the Bifrost (Rainbow) bridge which is the entrance to Asgard, thus linking heaven and earth. He lives on a cliff by the bridge and is uniquely suited for his guardian role barely sleeping, having hearing so good that he can hear grass grow, coupled with exceptional eyesight. Heimdall symbolizes duty, patience and eternal vigilance. Loki mocks his dedication when he gatecrashes the gods' party in Lokasenna

"Enough Heimdal! I know that fate
Assigned you a servile task"

When Thor's hammer is stolen it is to Heimdall the gods turn and who demonstrates powers of prophecy

"Heimdall said, sagest of gods
Who could see the future as his fathers did ..."

Possibly this predictive power is linked to the runes for Heimdall is a master of them. He is the god who shares this gift with mankind. As Rig he descends to earth where sleeping between various couples he is responsible for the emergence of three classes- thralls, free-men and nobility. It is to the last of these he gives the runes

"Out of woodlands came Rig walking
Came Rig walking and taught him runes"

There may be a pattern here. Odin discovers the runes and so brings them to Asgard but Heimdall brings them to Earth. Odin breathes life into the first man and woman but it is Heimdall who founds and structures human society.

The rune associated with Heimdall (in his Rig personna) is Mannaz (Man) which represents the individual and society. It symbolizes reason, intelligence, and social structuring as well as the development of consciousness. Some authors also link him with the Algiz (Eohl) rune due to its protective nature and an association they make between the glyph and Bifrost.

Underneath the world tree, Yggdrasil, lies Heimdall's horn, Gjallarhorn, which he will blow to signal the start of Ragnarok as the gods come under attack, and the sons of Muspell ride across the Bifrost bridge breaking it.

FREY

The god Frey is the son of Njord and hence one of the Vanir. Though the Vanir were once in conflict with the Aesir, the two sides were reconciled by Njord who entered Asgard (heaven) as part of an exchange. The Vanir are principally nature/fertility gods and thus linked with natural cycles and events. Njord himself is a god of sea and ships. Little surprise then that his son should own Skidbladnir, the best of all ships, which travels anywhere in an instant and can be folded up shall enough to fit into a pocket.

Another key possession of Frey is a magic sword which he gave to his servant

"And the sword that slays by itself if brave
The warrior be who wields it"

Frey surrendered this mighty sword to Skirnir to persuade him to woo Gerd, daughter of the giant Gymir, on his behalf after his own efforts failed. Through magical use of the runes, Skirnir was successful and Frey thus married Gerd. Ultimately though he will pay a heavy price for no longer having the sword with which to defend himself.

His other key lover is his sister Freya. The name Frey means "Lord" and it is often suggested he is the inspiration for, and the original of, the Wiccan Horned god of fertility. A brave and noble god, Frey is linked with the summer and sunshine, as the god who rules the forces of nature responsible for vegetation and growth. According to the Prose Edda

"Frey is an exceedingly famous god; he decides when the sun shall shine or the rain come down, and along with that the fruitfulness of the earth, and he is good to invoke for peace and plenty"

Presiding over all harvest celebrations, Frey represents the bounteous abundance of nature. In his role as a fertility deity though he is an embodiment of positive sexuality

"Frey is the best of all bold riders,
In the golden courts of the gods,
Never dallies with maidens, nor men's wives,
But frees all from their fetters"

One of his other roles is ruling over light elves, faeries and goblins.

There are two runes linked with Frey. The first is Fehu (Feoh), which begins his Aett, and links with both his fertility role and another of his responsibilities (as expressed in the Younger Edda) bringing "about the prosperity of men". In a time when cattle represented wealth and could even serve as a dowry, fertility and material wealth were inexorably linked as they are in this rune.

The other rune is Inguz (Ing) which is associated with agriculture and fertility. The glyph (and this rune has several versions over time) is always reminiscent of human genitalia and thus this rune represents pleasure and sensual love as well as the consequence, children.

At Ragnarok, Frey will be slain by Surt suffering the results of the loss of his sword.

LOKI

Of all the gods, Loki is probably the most enigmatic and contradictory. Undoubtedly, his depiction has suffered from Christian influences which have sought to draw direct parallels between him and the Devil. Hence the popular picture of Loki is of some evil devious entity that performs wickedness for its own sake. In the popular television program "Hercules" for example, which managed ingeniously (if somewhat incongruously) to mix Greek and Norse mythology, this is exactly how he was portrayed and there are many more similar references in our culture. This though is a caricature of one of the most fascinating and complex Norse gods.

Originally of the race of giants, Loki is also often identified as a fire spirit though there is little real evidence of this in his behavior. The one real supporting reference is in the Lokasenna where he tells the gods they will never hold a feast such as this again

"My flames play over all you possess,
Already they burn your back"

He does share the dual nature of fire being equally capable of being destructive or of aid. His name is similar to the word for fire and, as Tyson points out, this tradition of Loki as fire spirit is one honored in Northern Europe.

"In Norway when a fire crackles, they say Loki is thrashing his children"

Morally ambiguous, Loki is neither wholly good or bad and generally he is mischievous rather than wicked, with most of his activities inconveniencing rather than seriously harming the gods. His cutting off of Sif's hair definitely falls into this category and even his theft of Idun's apples does not have the dire consequences which it could have done since Loki recognize s his mistake in time and is persuaded to correct it. One cannot of course excuse his effective murder of Baldur, but there is evidence this tale comes from a later period by which time his transformation into the evil betrayer was complete. An earlier version of the Baldur myth by Saxo puts all the blame for the death on Hodur.

Indeed ironically, part of Loki's role seems to be to act as the conscience of the gods, ensuring they do not have opportunity to forget their transgressions and failings. The best known example of this is the Lokasenna, though it occurs in other places too. Whilst most of the incidents to which Loki refers at the feast are unknown, some can be identified, and from our knowledge of the gods, we have no cause to doubt that the rest have at least /some/ grounding in reality.

Though Loki often gets the gods into trouble, he proves equally adept at assisting them in solving other difficulties. Indeed he acts as some kind of divine trouble-shooter. When Odin needs Freya's necklace stolen, he turns to Loki, and when Thor's hammer vanishes he seeks Loki's assistance.

"Loki, Loki, listen well
Unmarked by men, unmarked by gods,
Someone has stolen my sacred Hammer"

It was Loki who played a pivotal role in the creation and fortification of Asgard, illustrating once again the gods' dependence upon him.

Another key aspect of Loki is his ability to change shape and gender. In the stories he adopts a variety of forms including horse, bird, fly, flea and salmon. He is also probably the giantess Thokk who refuses to weep for Baldur and so dooms him to remain in the underworld. Loki is the father of all the key monsters in Norse mythology, such as the Wolf Fenris who will eventually kill Odin, the Midgard Serpent which is coiled around the earth and which will eventually kill Thor, and the goddess Hel, ruler of death and the underworld. However he is also the mother of Odin's horse Sleipnir.

Aswynn links the Dagaz (Daeg) rune with Loki, no doubt because of its transformational aspects, and Blum suggests an association with the Ansuz (Os) rune. While Blum is often way off-beam in his ideas, this one makes some sense. Though Ansuz (Os) is more normally associated with Odin, many of its aspects such as skilful use of words, trickery and disguise are equally applicable to Loki. As a giant, he can also be linked with the Thurisaz (Thorn) rune particularly by those authors who see it as a very negative rune. In truth though linking any rune directly with Loki is somewhat tenuous at best.

This then is Loki, thief, trickster, shape-shifter and trouble-shooter, both mother and father, both giant and god, both creator and destroyer. Imprisoned after Baldur's death beneath the earth with a serpent dripping poison on his face, Loki will be freed at Ragnarok when he will side with the giants against the gods and will slay Heimdall.

Loki is always a devious untrustworthy figure but he is also fun injecting most of the humor into the mythology. He is also someone who initiates much of the action in the tales. If one disregards the terrible reputation he has now, and looks at his role in the Eddas, particularly the Younger Edda, it is difficult to disagree with Ellis-Davidson's verdict on him

"Loki is perhaps the most outstanding character among the northern gods, the chief actor in the most amusing stories, and the motivating force in a large number of plots"

You have completed the lesson. Read it as many times as you need to in order to feel you understand it. Then return here for:
Lesson 3 - Comprehension Tests, Reading and Further Exercises

Please ensure you complete these exercises before moving on to the next lesson.