Heimdall might seem an odd choice for a major god, but the poem Rigsthula makes him the founder of human society, and he is the watchman of the gods. She goes into some depth about Odin, Thor, Heimdall, Baldr and Loki for the Aesir, then profiles all three Vanir (since they’re the only three we know of).
Next, she discusses the gods and goddesses. The introduction describes the sources available to anyone studying Norse myth: the skaldic and Eddic poetry, Snorri’s Prose Edda, the Danish History of Saxo Grammaticus, archaeology and other Germanic traditions (like the Merseburg charms and church writings). Along with the main text of the book there are numerous sidebars explaining various terms and giving capsule versions of myths or summarizing the lore about the gods. The hardback is a nice size for holding in one’s hand, and as you might expect from a Thames and Hudson production, has plenty of illustrations. The book itself is currently available in hardback or on Kindle. The author, Carolyne Larrington, is an academic who has written several popular books, including a translation of the Poetic Edda. She has also written books on the green man and the women in Arthurian myth, and co-edited The Feminist Companion to Mythology. Tolkien, and even Game of Thrones in the resurrection of the Fimbulvetr, or “Mighty Winter.The Norse Myths: a Guide to the Gods and Heroes, by Carolyne Larrington, Thames and Hudson, 2017.Īs the title suggests, this book is intended as an introduction to Norse myths, aimed at readers with little or no knowledge of the subject. She traces their influences into the work of Wagner, William Morris, and J. Carolyne Larrington describes the Norse myths’ origins in pre-Christian Scandinavia and Iceland, and their survival in archaeological artifacts and written sources, from Old Norse sagas and poems to the less-approving accounts of medieval Christian writers. Passages translated from Old Norse bring this legendary world to life, from the myths of creation to ragnarök, the prophesied end of the world at the hands of Loki’s army of monsters and giants, and everything that comes in between: the long and problematic relationship between the gods and the giants, the (mis)adventures of human heroes and heroines, with their family feuds, revenges, marriages, and murders and the interaction between the gods and mortals.Photographs and drawings show a range of Norse sites, objects, and characters, from Viking ship burials to dragons on runestones. The Norse Myths presents the infamous Viking gods, from the mighty Asyr, led by Ó?inn, and the mysterious Vanir, to Thor and the mythological cosmos they inhabit.
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