The End of the World in Scandinavian Mythology

The End of the World in Scandinavian Mythology
Author: Anders Hultgård
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 474
Release: 2022-10-08
Genre:
ISBN: 0192867253

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"A myth about the end of the world, the Ragnarok, was told among Viking Age Scandinavians. It is here reconsidered against a comparative background. The signs of the end, the final battle, the destruction and renewal of the world are the main themes distinguished. The myth was handed down in a Christian medieval context and the problem of Christian influence is thoroughly discussed. Particular attention is given to the Old Norse homilies as instruments of conveying Christian teachings to both the elites and the common people. The comparative framework is set up by traditions on the end of the world in early Judaism, Christianity, Islam, the Graeco-Roman world, Celtic Europe as well as ancient Iran and India. The geographical area covered by these traditions formed a network of cultural contacts providing possibilities of various influences. These texts are studied in their own right to avoid superficial paralleling. The analogies with Iranian traditions are striking and include the idea of the cosmic tree, the role of number 'nine', and the myth of the heavenly warriors"--

Old Norse Mythology

Old Norse Mythology
Author: John Lindow
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 249
Release: 2020-12-07
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0190852275

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An innovative and accessible overview of how ancient Scandinavians understood and made use of their mythological stories. Old Norse Mythology provides a unique survey of the mythology of Scandinavia: the gods Þórr (Thor) with his hammer, the wily and duplicitous Óðinn (Odin), the sly Loki, and other fascinating figures. They create the world, battle their enemies, and die at the end of the world, which arises anew with a new generation of gods. These stories were the mythology of the Vikings, but they were not written down until long after the conversion to Christianity, mostly in Iceland. In addition to a broad overview of Nordic myths, the book presents a case study of one myth, which tells of how Þórr (Thor) fished up the World Serpent, analyzing the myth as a sacred text of the Vikings. Old Norse Mythology also explores the debt we owe to medieval intellectuals, who were able to incorporate the old myths into new paradigms that helped the myths to survive when they were no longer part of a religious system. This superb introduction traces the use of the mythology in ideological contexts, from the Viking Age until the twenty-first century, as well as in entertainment.

The Poetic Edda

The Poetic Edda
Author: Paul Acker
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 318
Release: 2002-02-08
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 113660135X

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This unique collection of essays applies significant critical approaches to the mythological poetry of the Poetic Edda, a principal source for Old Norse cosmography and the legends of Odin, Loki, and Thor. The volume also provides very useful introductions that sketch the critical history of the Eddas. By applying new theoretical approaches (feminist, structuralist, post-structuralist) to each of the major poems, this book yields a variety of powerful and convincing readings. Contributors to the collection are both young scholars and senior figures in the discipline, and are of varying nationalities (American, British, Australian, Scandinavian, and Icelandic), thus ensuring a range of interpretations from different corners of the scholarly community. The new translations included here make available for the first time to English speaking students the intriguing methodologies that are currently developing in Scandinavia. An essential collection of scholarship for any Old Norse course, The Poetic Edda will also be of interest to scholars of Indo-European myth, as well as those who study the theory of myth.

From Asgard to Valhalla

From Asgard to Valhalla
Author: Heather O'Donoghue
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 232
Release: 2007-04-27
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0857712756

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Whether they focus on Thor's powerful hammer, the mysterious valkyries, the palatial home of the gods - Asgard - or ravenous wolves and fierce elemental giants, the Norse myths are packed with vivid incident. But at the centre of their cosmos stands a gnarled old ash tree from which all distances and times are measured. When the old tree creaks, Ragnarok - the end of the world and of the gods themselves - is at hand. It is from this tree that Odin, father of the gods, hanged himself in search of the wisdom of the dead: a disturbing image of divine sacrifice far removed from the feasting and fighting of his otherworld home, Valhalla. This is the first book to show how the Norse myths have resonated from era to era: from Viking-age stories of ice and fire to the epic poetry of Beowulf; and from Wagner's "Ring" to Marvel Comics' "Mighty Thor". Heather O'Donoghue considers the wider contexts of Norse mythology, including its origins, medieval expression and reception in post-medieval societies right up to the present. "From Asgard to Valhalla" is a book that will intrigue and delight anyone with an interest in how the Norse myths have so profoundly shaped the western cultural heritage.

El Mega Libro de las Ideas Equivocadas

El Mega Libro de las Ideas Equivocadas
Author: James Egan
Publisher: Lulu.com
Total Pages: 306
Release: 2018-04-06
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 0244379602

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El deporte más peligroso no es el fútbol americano. Es volar una cometa. El mapa del mundo es impreciso. Los silenciadores no existen. Todos pronuncian "Monte Everest" incorrectamente. El Viejo Oeste no era nada como lo imaginamos. Los Illuminati existieron durante solamente ocho años. Los satanistas no adoran a Satanás. A Abraham Lincoln no le importaba la gente de color. Amelia Earhart no desapareció misteriosamente. Egipto no tiene no la mayor cantidad de pirámides ni la más grande. La radiación no es peligrosa. No sabemos nada de los druidas. Las Cataratas del Niágara no son las más altas cascadas. Las Islas Canarias no se llaman así por los canarios. No todos los piratas eran criminales. Algunos de ellos eran agentes del gobierno. Los Rastafari no se llaman a sí mismos "Rastafari". El sol no está ardiendo. Los amish (menonitas) sí usan electricidad.

Handbook of Norse Mythology

Handbook of Norse Mythology
Author: John Lindow
Publisher: ABC-CLIO
Total Pages: 396
Release: 2001-06-08
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN:

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Authoritative, comprehensive reference incorporating the latest research on tales, literary and oral sources, and the broad-reaching cultural legacy of Norse mythology. The book describes the pagan origins of Scandinavia, the interaction between the Vikings and other Europeans, and the concept of time in Norse mythology, and gives a dictionary of deities, themes, and concepts. With 200 entries of up to four pages each, the dictionary includes both well-known characters like Thor and minor figures such as Gleipnir, the "fetter with which the wolf Fenrir was finally bound." It also includes further references about Viking and medieval Scandinavia, archaeology, etymology, the conversion of Iceland, other encyclopedias, and more.

Norse Mythology

Norse Mythology
Author: Kory Aumont
Publisher: Cascade Publishing
Total Pages: 72
Release: 2018-10-11
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 9781922346001

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Before the tide of Christianity cast its influence over the greater part of the Western World, magic and tradition were rich in the lives of the Nordic people. These great men and women of lore speak to us of glorified battles, strong noble bloodlines, and honor in the face of adversity. We celebrate the incredible tales of Loki and Frigga, the mighty Thor and the all-powerful Odin. Now the annals of history have offered us the great gift of studying and understanding this magnificent culture. Readers young and old alike have the opportunity to explore this fascinating and awe-inspiring collection of religious stories and rich traditions belonging to such a complex belief system. Discover for yourself the magic and mystery in the stories of Baldur, Heimdall, and Idun. Uncover the ancient tale of the fortification of Asgard, the great kingdom of the Nordic gods, and the chilling story behind the binding of Fenrir. Even though thousands of years have passed since these cultural stories were first shared around the forges and fires of the Nordic populations, they still entrance and inspire us with the great deeds of the human race and the incredible gods who watched over them. Find your own wealth of inspiration among the tales of the great gods and goddesses once worshipped by the Vikings.

Cuentos de la mitología vasca

Cuentos de la mitología vasca
Author: Alicia Esteban
Publisher: Ediciones de la Torre
Total Pages: 126
Release: 2009-12-14
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 8479604174

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Una selección de cuentos de la riqueza folclórica que surgen del mundo montañoso y enigmático del País Vasco. Relatos fantásticos y atrayentes son los que integran este libro; historias que no hace mucho tiempo todavía contaban los ancianos en los caseríos, transmitidas de boca en boca desde tiempos ancestrales.