In John Lindow’s “The Tears of the Gods; A Note on the Death of Baldr in Scandinavian Mythology,” an article published by University of Illinois Press in 2002, he explains the Myth of Baldr and represents it in a way that exemplifies the Scandinavian culture that created it. He analyses the myth in a different aspect than that of other contemporary ideas and maintains that The Baldr myth deeply roots itself in the Viking age culture by reflecting many elements occurring in the Icelandic Sagas and other written sources from that time. He relates saga age blood feud to the Baldr myth as well as argue that the myth is unlike other interpretations that claim it is a relation to the Cristian myth. His article questions the actuality of a universal weeping for Baldr throughout the worlds and reveals many aspects of the Viking age culture and how their documents are linked to the myth.
The blood feud in medieval Iceland was a common means to settle disputes between families; however it seldom achieved its goal. Feuds between families and tribes would last for generations and in the end it was likely that neither side knew why they were fighting at all. In the Myth of Baldr, after Baldr’s death, Lindow notes that the gods seek revenge and a blood feud is initiated. Odin’s son Váli is to perform the task and he kills his own brother and murderer Höðr. Viking age Icelanders could consider a blood feud to be over when the other family members were dead, but the Baldr feud displays a different fate. Because of the family relation between the opposing gods, the feud can never be resolved. Thus, it requires mythological contexts to end the feud and reunite the brothers. Lindow explains that vengeance is also brought upon Loki, but ...
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...dow fails to conclude why mistletoe kills Baldr other than that it “stands on the boundary between various conceptual categories” and makes a good weapon (pg. 159). However, if we maintain the notion that Baldr is indeed the god over the powerful and life providing evergreen, then it is fitting that the mistletoe should have the strength to kill him. Mistletoe is a type of parasitic plant that kills trees and though it may seem harmless, as it did to Frigg in the myth of Baldr’s death (pg. 156), it has the power to destroy something that provided sustainability to the Germanic people. What's more, mistletoe is an evergreen itself and can likely return us to the beginning of the end. Baldr is killed by his brother who is in turn killed by another brother. So evergreen kills evergreen and takes sustainability from the people who, without it, will likely parish.
Right from the beginning of “Horror and the Maternal in Beowulf,” Paul Acker’s ambition in writing is clear. In the span of only a few sentences, he boldly refutes J.R.R. Tolkien’s interpretation of the monsters in Beowulf, stating “Tolkien also deflected certain avenues of interpreting the monsters” (702). This immediate claim, straight from the first paragraph of Acker’s essay, sets a tone for the rest of the paper, one that is plagued by unethical rhetorical strategies in order to satisfy its ambitions. Though Acker does present a fair argument in regards to his ideas and thesis, that same validity does not carry over to his rhetoric. I will argue that Acker constructs his essay in an unethical fashion, something which evidences itself
The Iceland saga, The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki, written in the 1300’s, represents about 1000 years of oral traditions. The remarkable similarities between this saga’s main character and Beowulf’s main character are just too astounding to dismiss as mere coincidences.
Bres and Óengus are two figures that play prominent roles in early Irish mythology. Both appear in Cath Maige Tuired (CMT), a tale that is often said to be one of the most significant mythological works in the body of literature. While Óengus, or “the Mac Óc” as he is called in the epic, shares similar mythological qualities with his depictions in other works, this is not always the case. Bres, the half-Fomoire king of the Tuatha Dé Danann, acts as the primary antagonist in CMT. However, his appearances elsewhere do not always resonate with this villainous depiction. It has been argued that Bres was appropriated in order to make a larger political point and may reflect the possibility for established characters being altered in order to more effectively impact a contemporary audience. By comparing the two figures’ roles in CMT to that in other literature, their respective mythological attributes and functions can more fully be accounted for.
In his translation of The Saga of the Volsungs: the Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer, Jesse L. Byock compiles many versions of this famous Norse epic and creates a very important scholarly work. Of special importance is the introduction, which provides a central working background to base readings upon. There are several themes echoed throughout the translation that reflect accurately on this portion of history. Byock does a superb job of illustrating these important aspects in his work. While the tale Byock tells is a fairy-tale handed down by generations of families, within the reader can find tell-tale signs of important aspects of Norse culture. For instance, important aspects of family life and the role of men and women surface. Likewise, the importance of wealth and material possessions on the power and prestige of a king is also evident.
Leif Erikson’s grandfather, Thorvald Asvaldsson slaughtered a man in Jæren, Norway in 960 CE. This was the age of the Vikings, but Thorvald was still banished from the land (Mandia, n.d.). So he brought his ten year old son Erik, later to be named as Erik the Red because of his scarlet hair, to Drangar in northwestern Iceland on a farm with rather appalling soil (Where is Vinland?, n.d.).
Kinship is one of the many recurring themes in Beowulf. It is known that kinship establishes an important part of society because this theme is seen throughout the long poem. Kinship is defined as blood relatives. According to Lorraine Lancaster, in the Anglo-Saxon society, one is considered to be kin with someone even if they are fifth cousins. However, after they become sixth cousins, they are no longer kin. In Lancaster’s “Kinship in Anglo-Saxon Society –I,” readers become aware that one is very loyal to their kin. In this article, it is said that it is one’s duty to be loyal to their kin. Because of this loyalty, feuds commence. If a person is killed, it is only fair that the slaughterer is killed by a kin of the person who was killed, and so on. This sounds familiar because it is the main idea ...
2.) The Types of stories found in this book are based on Norse Mythology. They contain information on the creation of the Earth, (Midgard), and some of the trials that the gods and goddesses had gone through.
Often readers will criticize the champions of classical and medieval epics for egotism. Critics cite examples from the Odyssey, the Aeneid, and Beowulf of conceit and egocentric behavior. Odysseus, Aeneas, and Beowulf display a well-known arrogance befitting their accomplishments. The motivation for this arrogance, to complete these tasks, to perform these feats, is often over-generalized to the point of inaccuracy and confusion. One must not let such misinterpretations interrupt the humanization of these characters. Through the examination of the desires and behavior of these epic heroes, we can discover an underlying need for recognition or honor. In classical and medieval western epics, the hero’s desire to complete a given quest is fueled by their desire to gain or maintain honor or fame.
Foster, Mary H., and Mabel H. Cummings. Asgard Stories: Tales from Norse Mythology. New York: Silver, Burdett and Company, 1901. Kindle file.
A solitary woman sits in conversation with a benign tumour that had just recently been removed from her ovary. As the woman speaks, the inanimate tumour, which she has named Hairball, looks on from its glass encased perch atop the fireplace. The scene is macabre and certainly unusual, but such is the life of Kat, the main character in Margaret Atwood’s short story, Hairball. Kat’s life is filled with the unusual and the shocking, a lifestyle that has been self-imposed. Throughout the years, Kat, an "avant garde" fashion photographer, has altered her image, even her name, to suit the circumstances and the era. Over time Kat has fashioned a seemingly strong and impenetrable exterior, but as Kat’s life begins to disintegrate we discover that the strong exterior is just a facade devised to protect a weak and fragile interior. Kat’s facade begins to unravel and she undergoes significant personal losses; in fact, the losses go so far as to include her identity or lack there of. As Kat begins to lose control, her mental and physical disintegration is hastened by three major conflicts: The conflict with the society in which she lives, the conflict with her romantic interests (specifically Ger), and finally the physical conflict she faces with her own body. In the end, these conflicts will threaten to strip Kat of her lifestyle as well as her name.
Further, the context in which the myth was written must be taken into account when reading the story. Bronislaw Malinowski in his essay “The Role of Myth in Life” says that “The text, of course, is extremely important, but without the context it remains lifeless” (Malinowski 201). The context that needs to be addressed when reading the myth are the cultural and sociological components that surround a mythological text. This context, consisting of the understanding of the culture in which the myth exte...
Morford Mark, Lenardon Robert, and Sham Michael. Classical Mythology, International Edition. New York: Oxford University Press, USA, 2011. Print. 830 pages.
Beowulf has just killed Grendel and hung that infamous claw in the hall of Heorot. Everyone under King Hrothgar’s rule is celebrating Beowulf’s triumph. In the midst of the celebration a court singer begins to sing about the glory of the former Danish people many years ago. The song chronicles a battle between the Danes and the Frisians. The leader of the Frisians, Finn, engages in battle and ends up with most of his army being defeated. However, Finn ends up killing Hnaef the leader of the Danes. Hengest, successor to Hnaef, makes peace with Finn and the rest of the Danes end up living with the Frisian people. An important part of this episode to note is that the wife of Finn, Hildeburh, is also the sister of Hnaef. Hnaef and Hildeburh’s son were both killed in battle and their burial is described in grotesque detail. A member of the Frisian tribe gives a sword to Hengest who has long debated this newly forged allegiance with the Frisians. Hengest decides to take revenge and wages war once again. It’s unclear who exactly kills Finn, but he is murdered by a member of the Danish people. Hildeburh is taken captive and is brought back to her homeland with the Danes (lines 1065-1161). Thus ends the story that scholars refer to as the “Finn episode”.
Mistletoe will rarely grow directly out of the ground, but is rather a plant that will grow onto other plant life, primarily trees and shrubs. Mistletoe is considered a parasitic type of plant due to the way it grows and thrives on other plant life forms to survive. Mistletoe will create its own food until such a time it is actually rooted into the tree or shrub. Once rooted the plant will use the water and nutrients from the tree or shrub to grow and survive. This is very different than other plants that root in dirt and then use moisture and nutrients directly from the earth. Some Mistletoe can embed itself so much and grow so rapidly that it overtakes its host killing it and then will die itself. Mistletoe can be found growing in many types of trees such as Oak trees, Apple trees, Eucalyptus and even Juni...
The 8th century epic poem Beowulf illustrates a loss of community, cultural values and tradition. On the other hand, an elegiac passing of an extraordinary hero and the relationship between the themes of mortality and heroism are well discussed in Beowulf. Beowulf’s character exemplifies the Germanic and the Anglo-Saxon ideals of the hero: strong, fearless, bold, loyal, and stoic in the acceptance of fate. Despite his lack of humility, Beowulf was the definition of a hero in his own time by his demonstration of chivalry and his important roles in society.