Alexis Evans Honours : 10/17/14

Valhalla

The fierce and fearsome Viking warriors were taught from an early age that bravery in battle was the ultimate goal. Not only were their role models ferocious fighters, but their folklore echoed the beliefs and values that spurred them on to their destiny. Among the tales and lessons that prepared them for war, there was always a promised reward for their service, that being the honor and glory of eternity in Valhalla.

Translated as the “hall of slain heroes”, Valhalla was described as a magnificent hall with a roof made of shields and five hundred and forty doors. Every door was wide enough to allow eight hundred heroes marching abreast to enter and every night the warriors would celebrate with a feast at which Odin would be the host.

To reach the great hall one only had to die fighting bravely in battle and then be in the half of the slain warriors chosen by Odin. The Viking warrior would then be led by the Valkyries, warrior maidens, to the Valhalla where he would enjoy a fresh battle every day and recover from his wounds in time for the banquet.

The other half would accompany the Goddess Freya to the field of Fólkvangr. However, any warrior who died other than in combat or whose death was dishonorable would be sent to Hel.

Although, it can be argued that the legend of Valhalla was simply meeting the tastes of the community in their thirst for blood, there is an argument that identifies the tale as pre-echoing the folklore of cultures later in history. The virtual martyr status awarded to those who fought without concern for their own wellbeing has been used as an incentive for soldiers repeatedly, especially in situations where the need for exceptional sacrifice has been required.

Whether Valhalla exists or not the function of the folklore to inspire an army of violent warriors certainly worked for the Vikings.

The cultural significance of folklore rests in its use as an educational tool for the community. Through it the values of the society are illustrated and reinforced. In the case of the Vikings, a violent and warlike people, the courage and strength of the warrior was foremost. This dictated the role of women as in Freya’s regular weeping for her long absent warrior husband and the vision of the afterlife in Valhalla’s daily mortal combat from which the wounds would heal in time for the revelry of the nightly feast.

While we might find relating to the politics difficult, the necessity of such attitudes for the survival of Vikings was clear and it doesn’t take a great deal of digging or thinking to notice the similarities with some contemporary belief systems.

Odin

Among the major figures of Viking folklore, few are as influential to the events and deities as Odin. Acknowledged as the deity overseeing War, Battle, Victory and Death, he also has a gentler side where he is associated with Wisdom, Poetry, Magic and Prophecy. Through the derivative Wodan, devotion to Odin is recognized in the dedication of Wednesday.

As a son of Bor, Odin killed Ymir and, with his brothers Ve and Vili, he used the remains of the Frost Giant to create the world of the Vikings. Furthermore, as the ruler of Valhalla, Odin provided a place for slain warriors in the afterlife. But probably his most encouraging feature was his inability to eat food as he consumed nothing but wine.

Odin’s spear, Gungnir, never missed its target, which led to him be pierced by it himself and remaining hung in that predicament for nine days. While pinned to the World Tree, he learned nine powerful songs and twice as many runes, the beginning of his great gift to his people, that of writing.

The tale sounds inconsistent, in that the most powerful of all deities subjected him to such hardship so as to give a gift to his people. Surely he could have achieved the same end without such sacrifice. But that was largely the point of the story. No matter how great you are, you must be prepared to pay your due.

There are many other stories that feature Odin throughout Viking folklore, but the constant is the use of the chief divinity to teach his people.

Freya

The folklore of most cultures is male dominated, but there is usually at least one strong female who tends to those needs of the people that the strong, warrior males can’t manage. So it was in Viking folklore, where Freya was the goddess associated with beauty, fertility, sorcery and love. But, just in case she was thought to be a little too genteel, she was also associated with gold, war and death.

Freya rode in a chariot, which has connotations of warlike behavior, but it was driven by two cats. She had a boar named Hildisvíni, a husband, Óðr, and two daughters, Hnoss and Gersemi. In addition, she had a cloak made of falcon feathers, which allowed her to fly in the shape of a falcon and a magical amber and gold necklace,Brísingamen, which signified her power as a magical practitioner and leader.

Most commonly Freya was called upon to assist in matters of the heart and to lend a hand in regard to issues of fertility. As a deity in a notoriously warlike culture, Freya had her worked cut out in a range of ways. She had to maintain the intensity of a warrior, while ensuring the place of love in the community of her people.

Within the community of the Gods, she was often a tragic figure. She wept for her long-absent husband, Óðr, and her tears turned to red gold when they fell on rocks and amber when they fell on water. Using pseudonyms, she searched for him so she could escape the advances of other powerful Gods, who wished to marry her.

Freya was not the typical female deity, but she was the kind of female deity that was needed by the Vikings. Her female charms and strong warrior core made her the perfect Goddess and in doing so an important part of Viking folklore.

Creation

Fundamental to any folklore is the story of creation, the beginning of all things. The legends of the Frost Giants hold tales of mighty and monstrous beings that existed before the coming of man, so the creation of the world in which the Vikings would dwell was a product of this mythology.

After a savage battle in which Odin, Ve and Vili, the sons of the Frost Giant Bor, had killed the Frost Giant Ymir, they decided to assure themselves of Ymir’s death. They mutilated the body so extensively that the parts that they scattered became the basis of the physical world.

The bones of Ymir became the mountain ranges and the smaller hard fragments became the rocks and pebbles of the seashore. Where they had worked, the earth had been pushed aside into rolling hills leaving gullies and huge depressions. Into these, the blood of Ymir was poured to create the rivers, lakes and seas.

The skull of Ymir was held aloft by four dwarves, whose race had risen from the soil, and the skull formed the sky. The dwarves were placed at each corner of the sky and named North, East, South and West. The legend continues and explains the creation of the stars, the sun and the moon using interacting aspects of the mythology.

Some would say that the violence and barbarism of the tale is redolent of the culture of the Vikings as warriors and as a people. But the death of a supernatural being as the basis of new life is a theme repeated in many cultures and religions and the presence of this being in the land, sea and sky helps present a respect for nature and the environment.

I think its quite interesting that i just came across this poster, Its for a band thats classed as Stoner Doom metal yet used the norse viking-esk styled art work to promote them which is not classed under then genre. Nice design tho.