Norse Mythology Research Paper

873 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Greek mythology and Norse mythology

For thousands of years, there have been numerous theories of who the supreme ruler of the universe is and where people go after death, if they even go anywhere. One of the world’s oldest theories, Norse mythology, dates back to some five thousand years ago (Valkomin). The world’s current leading religion, Christianity, is a younger religion in comparison, but is still relevant (Lui). Norse mythology was believed by Scandinavians from approximately 793-1000 CE (Valkomin). Odin was believed to be their chief god. He craved wisdom and always tried to share the wisdom he had acquired through experiences in his own life and other gods’ lives with others. However, justice, fairness, and respect for laws were disregarded by Odin. He was worshipped …show more content…

If they have lived a moral life and believe in the Lord as the one true God, they will make it to heaven after they die. However, if they neglect their morals and deny the Lord, they will go to hell. Hell is overseen by Satan, who was once an angel, was cast down from heaven after taking too much pride in himself. He is now the symbol of evil and temptation, and he is the deceiver that leads people off the path of righteousness. Only God can make the judgement of whether they go to heaven or hell. Valhalla, the most esteemed of the dwelling-places of the dead in Norse Mythology, translates to “the hall of the fallen” (Afterlife). It is a great hall in the Kingdom of Asgard. Only those that Odin deems worthy enter Valhalla. Their moral standings and actions on earth are irrelevant to the gods. Those worthy are the greatest warriors that worship Odin. After a battle, Odin visits the battlefield and chooses half of the warriors to enter Valhalla. Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, takes the other half to Folkvangr, where she presides. Those who do not die in battle are chosen by Odin to enter Valhalla, or to go to Helheim, which means “the grave.” Those who go to Helheim do not particularly have an afterlife but just remain as stagnant souls wherever they happened to

Show More
Related

  • Epic of Beowulf Essay - Pagan Tradition in Beowulf

    564 Words  | 2 Pages

    Beowulf is steeped in a pagan tradition that depicts nature as hostile and forces of death as uncontrollable. Blind fate picks random victims; man is never reconciled with the world. Beowulf ends a failure. There is some truth in this conclusion, but for the most part, someone who didn’t have a well-lived life has most likely portrayed it.

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of Vikings

    515 Words  | 2 Pages

    The god they worshiped above all gods was Òõinn, who was the head of all gods and is said to be the father of many of the gods (Gunnell 357). The Vikings believe that Òõinn sits in a high chair where he can watch over the whole entire world with his huge eye. They also believe that he is who breathes the first breathe into the first humans. The Vikings say that Òõinn is very popular with the warriors, which the Vikings consider themselves being, but they also mention that they aren’t sure if Òõinn wants those warriors’ dead or alive (Gunnell 358). The reason the Vikings say this because there are stories that mention the warriors alive and dead. The alive warriors are fighting battles for Òõinn and protecting him. The dead warriors are also preparing for a battle, a battle way more intense than the alive warriors ever fought. The battle of Ragnarok, which is the last battle at the end of the world. The Vikings also connect the living and the dead with the factor of Òõinn only having one eye, they believe that he has one living eye and one dead eye (Gunnell

    Read More

  • The Viking Rus, By Ibn Fadlan

    912 Words  | 2 Pages

    All across cultures in history, varying groups of beliefs have come into contact with one another. As for early Muslims, military expansion and travel were key components for spreading the Islamic religion to foreign nations. However, not all exchanges were hostile or wholly based on the conquest of exotic lands. Some interactions solely were based on capturing lands to control, while allowing non-converters to remain in the area as the military continued forward gaining new territory. The primary sources, The Viking Rus, Peace Terms with Jerusalem, and The Pact to Be Accorded to Non-Muslim Subjects provide insight on how Muslims interacted with other religious groups. Early Muslims saw the expansion of Islam through conquest, travel, and trade with foreign cultures and beliefs, all while having unusual exchanges with each faith.

    Read More

  • History of Loki, The Trickster God

    1026 Words  | 3 Pages

    Lindow, John. "Loki (Norse mythology).” World Mythology: Handbook of Norse Mythology. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2001. Credo Reference. Web. 26 November 2013.

    Read More

  • Myth Vs Greek Mythology

    1258 Words  | 3 Pages

    Every ancient society and civilization has creation myths that were passed down and keep alive throughout the passing of time by word of mouth. These myths are the world’s oldest stories and are vital to these cultures because they explain their beginnings and give purpose to their existence. By analyzing and interpreting different creation myths it becomes easier to understand different cultures and their connections and relationships with heir beliefs and god(s).

    Read More

  • J.R.R. Tolkien Research Paper

    970 Words  | 2 Pages

    J.R.R. Tolkien Research Paper As many have grown up during this generation, they have been dazzled by the work of J.R.R. Tolkien as well as the artistic interpretation of this trilogy by Peter Jackson. This movement started when Tolkien created The Hobbit and then later the Lord of the Rings trilogy in the 1930’s, 1940’s and 1950’s. However, there are those who have criticized both the books and the cinema for being sexist and/or racist. Tolkien is not sexist because he develops his female characters by revealing their individualism and dynamic features, and is also not a racist because much of the criticism comes from Peter Jackson’s interpretations and because racism is harshly looked upon more in this generation than it was back in the 1940’s.

    Read More

  • Comparisons of Creation Myths

    2080 Words  | 5 Pages

    Through studies such as comparative mythology, researchers and philosophers have discover hundreds of parallels between the myths that make up every culture, including their creation myths. As most are deeply rooted in religion, comparisons based on geographic area, themes, and similar story lines emerge as religions form and migrate. Campbell recognized these similarities an...

    Read More

  • Thor: A Film Analysis Of Thor And Norse Mythology

    1739 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Vikings have garnered attention over the years not only for their raiding and trading, but also for the Paganist gods and religion. Similar to many other ancient civilizations, the Vikings leave behind many myths containing tales of their gods and their beliefs. Marvel’s 2011 film Thor serves as an introduction to Norse gods and mythology, but it does fall flat in term of accuracy and detail in certain areas. Despite various large and small-scale changes to its overall plot and characters, Thor has been well-adapted to portray Norse myths as best as possible within an existing Marvel franchise.

    Read More

  • Odin's Advice To The Vikings

    1404 Words  | 3 Pages

    Odin is giving the Vikings the most basic advices to the Vikings to survive and from the stories we have read we know how the Vikings have not taken Odin’s guidance seriously which caused them to vanish.

    Read More

  • God of Light, Joy, Purity, Beauty, Innocence, and Reconciliation

    449 Words  | 1 Pages

    Odin and Frigg. He was loved by both gods and man and was considered to be the

    Read More

  • Norse MYthology Vs. Greek Mythology

    1047 Words  | 3 Pages

    A major difference between Norse mythology and Greek mythology are both cultures views of the after life and what happens there. In Greek mythology there is one allotted place for people to go after death and once they are there they stay there for all eternity. In Norse mythology there are four different places for the dead: Folkvang, Valhalla, Helheim, and Ran’s hall or the halls of Ran. Folkvang is the allotted area for your everyday warrior who fought and died and did nothing more. Valhalla is Odin’s hall where 800 of the bravest warriors go and train for the coming of Ragnarok (literally the ending of the gods or the end of the world) (Wikipedia online). Helheim is literally the house or home of Hel; Hel is the goddess of the “underworlds” Niflheim (land of fire and heat) and Helheim. Helheim is the place where one who didn’t die “gloriously”(Wikipedia online) or in battle goes, those who died from diseases, accidents, old age, etc. Ran is the goddess of the sea and the drowned. She is said to sink ships and collect the drowned in a net and take them to her hall where they dwell there. In Greek mythology they go to the underworld (or Hades) and they are then separated and either got to Tartarus (hell) or the Elysian fields (heaven) (World Book 257). Folkvang, Valhalla, Helheim, and The Halls of Ran are four separate areas in the world of Norse mythology where as Hades is one and Tartarus and the Elysian fields are two places within Hades. Also each place in Norse mythology is based on four different types of deaths, not by how you act (with the exception of Valhalla) but by how you died. Where as in Greek mythology there is a subconscious good and bad categorizing of your deeds and actions during your life rather than how you died.

    Read More

  • Iceland Research Paper

    657 Words  | 2 Pages

    Most Icelanders are descended from Vikings or are somehow genetically linked to them through marriage. The Vikings used to belong to the Norse Paganism religion which consisted of the gods Thor, Odin, and Loki. Most of Marvel’s movies about Thor were actually based on this very real religion that existed at the time of the Vikings. In modern times, the religion most common in Iceland is the Church of Iceland which is a Christian religion. About 73.8% of Iceland’s population belongs to the Church of Iceland.

    Read More

  • Land Of The Midnight Sun Analysis

    861 Words  | 2 Pages

    Several well-known Norse gods are seen in mythology. Odin, god of war, death, sky, and poetry was referred to by over 150 names, such as the “Alfodr” or “Father of the Gods”. He was usually personified as One-eyed, wearing an eagle helmet into battle, alongside his spear Gungnir. The birds sacred to him were ravens. He had several children, one of which being Thor. Thor was the son of Odin, god of thunder, lightning, and storms. His weapon was the hammer. Loki was thought to be the blood-brother of Odin. Known as...

    Read More

  • The Greek Gods Vs. Norse Gods

    1774 Words  | 4 Pages

    Odin is the ruler of the gods in Norse mythology. He was stuck by his own spear pinned to the World Tree. There he learned nine songs and eighteen runes. Odin lives in Asgard; from his throne he observes everything that happens in the nine worlds. Valhalla is a hall in Asgard where the dead warriors are taken; Odin is also known to reside there (pantheon/odin).

    Read More

  • Thor - Norse God of Thunder

    507 Words  | 2 Pages

    Thor is the Norse God of Thunder. He is also a Deity of lightning, storms, Oak trees, farmers, fertility, strength, destruction, healing and death. Thor is also a protector of mankind and is very loyal to his father Odin and the Aesir Gods. In the past, he came to their defence any time it was needed, no matter how far away he was or what else he was doing. His family always comes first.

    Read More

More about Norse Mythology Research Paper

Open Document