Freyja: The Norse God of Love and Beauty.

There are many gods and goddesses represented in the Norse mythology pantheon but not many associated with angelic and redeeming  qualities such as the  Norse goddess of love and beauty: Freyja.

Freyja is the one of the main female characters in Norse mythology and generally attested as being good over all. She is associated with love, beauty, fertility, gold, war and death.  Much like the hall of Valhalla, Freyja collects half of the slain soldiers in her own hall  Sessrumnir , where they will wait to fight in the battle of Ragnarök. She has a chariot that is pulled by two cats and wields a cloak of falcon feathers that gives her the ability to change appearance. 


Being the Goddess of Fertility as well, she helps Gods and Goddesses in the matters of love and procreation.  She has two daughters of her own named Hnoss and Gersemi  which she had with her husband, the god Oor. 


Her main negative relation lies with the god of fire, Loki. In numerous accounts, namely in the Poetic Edda, Loki tries to antagonize Frejya, painting her and all the females in the land as lewd and unfaithful creatures to their husbands. Freyja scolds Loki and thus paints him as a pervert with many children from many different wives. The exchange continues until Loki decides to leave defeated. 

Loki: The Trickster Archetype in Norse Mythology.

Loki can be seen as the undisputed archetype of the Trickster. Considered a Aesir, ( the principle race of Norse gods who live in Asgard ) Loki is at times, their ally, one of their own, but his unpredictability and spry natures cause him to be their enemy on occasion, though accounts vary by source.

This raises another aspect of his character and sheds some light on the original personality of the Trickster Archetype. One would think a character such as Loki would only be out for self gain and to cause mischief with others, which in essence is not far from the truth, but in numerous accounts Loki has been heroic and courageous, a personality trait not commonly seen in Tricksters of later literature.

Loki has the ability to shape shift into numerous forms. According to various sources and poems found in the Poetic Edda, he has taken the form of a seal, mare, fly, falcon, old maid and salmon. This ability also plays into this archetype.

Loki is considered the god of Fire and magic. Many of the grotesque creatures seen in Norse mythology have been fathered by Loki, and in the case of the eight legged horse Sleipnir, birthed by.

At the battle of Ragnarök, it is prophecies that the white god  Heimdall and the god of Fire Loki will ultimately be each others undoing.

Odin: The God of the gods.

Odin, the considered all father of Norse mythology, is for all practical purposes the ruler of Asgard, one of the Nine Worlds found in Norse Mythology.

He carries many attributes to his character; death, war and the Raven, which are contrasted with poetry, magic, wisdom and the hunt. Being attributed to death and war, he can be seen as having a negative connotation, perhaps being blood thirsty and a war mongerer, but he is a more well rounded and complex character.  By his other attributes, it can be assumed that he is an intellectual god and has a keen sense of leadership.

His physical appearance is generally recognized as having a tall, strong build. His face is of an aged nature, and has only one eye with the other one he traded for infinite wisdom at Mimir's Well. Occasionally Odin is seen wearing a tall brimmed hat on his travels as well. He has been portrayed as wearing a shilded mask and large armor plates, a helmet with horns and even a cape at times in various works.


Odin appears in many works of literature, not just in Norse Mythology. He has been cited in Scandinavian, Dutch and other folklore as well.

So, Why Norse Gods?

There are many reasons why I chose to discuss the topic of Norse Gods. Norse gods have influenced many aspects of western and eastern culture, be it pop culture or ancient. The Gods depicted in Norse mythology are multi-faceted, associated with many different elements, backgrounds, and practices and are woven into various relationships with and within each other that are represented almost like a giant soap opera.

 

Norse mythology has always interested me. The stories and settings of each God and their interactions with each other have never failed to perked my psyche. I've always found a certain entertainment within this subject and for me, is the most engaging and familiar mythology to study.  

I have chosen to research on one particular god for each post I submit. This way, I can focus on as much detail as needed to bring forth a well rounded and full understanding of each major deity found in Norse mythology.