Norse Gods and Norse Gods and GoddessesGoddesses

Asgard – heavenAsgard – heaven

Midgard – EarthMidgard – Earth

Yggdrasil – World TreeYggdrasil – World Tree

Yggdrasil

Centerpiece of Norse mythology:9 worlds of Norse mythology are connected through Yggdrasil.

YggrasilYggrasil

9 Worlds connected through 9 Worlds connected through YggdrasilYggdrasil1. Alfheim World of the elves 1. Alfheim World of the elves

2. Asgard World of the Aesir 2. Asgard World of the Aesir

3. Jötunheim World of the giants and 3. Jötunheim World of the giants and frost-giantsfrost-giants

4. Midgard Home of mankind4. Midgard Home of mankind

5. Muspelheim World of fire and the fire-5. Muspelheim World of fire and the fire-giant, home of the giant Surt giant, home of the giant Surt

Norse MythologyNorse Mythology

9 Worlds Cont.9 Worlds Cont.6. Nidavellir Home of the dwarves 6. Nidavellir Home of the dwarves

7. Niflheim World of the ice and that of 7. Niflheim World of the ice and that of the dead, which is also known as Hell. the dead, which is also known as Hell.

8. Svartalfheim World of the black elves 8. Svartalfheim World of the black elves (svartálfar) (svartálfar)

9. Vanaheim Home of the Vanir9. Vanaheim Home of the Vanir

Odin/ Woden/ WotanOdin/ Woden/ Wotan Chief of the gods, warChief of the gods, war Father of Thor, Balder, Father of Thor, Balder,

and other godsand other gods Odin pierces himself Odin pierces himself

with a spear and with a spear and hangs on Yggdrasil for hangs on Yggdrasil for 9 days and nights to 9 days and nights to learn the secret learn the secret knowledge of runesknowledge of runes

Has one eye because Has one eye because he traded it for a he traded it for a drink from the spring drink from the spring of clairvoyanceof clairvoyance

His two ravens are called Huginn and Muninn (Thought and Memory)

Valkyries and ValhallaValkyries and Valhalla Valkyries are female Valkyries are female

spirit warriors that ride spirit warriors that ride the battlefields and find the battlefields and find worthy slain warriors worthy slain warriors and takes them to and takes them to Valhalla where they will Valhalla where they will train until Ragnarok.train until Ragnarok.

The northern lights are The northern lights are light shining off of their light shining off of their shieldsshields

Valhalla is the Hall of Valhalla is the Hall of the Slain. It exists in the Slain. It exists in Asgard, home of the Asgard, home of the godsgods“Ride of the Valkyries”

Richard Wagner

Thor/ ThunorThor/ Thunor God of thunder and God of thunder and

lightninglightning Mjolnir (the destroyer) – an Mjolnir (the destroyer) – an

ax-hammer that can ax-hammer that can destroy giants and destroy giants and mountains in a single blowmountains in a single blow

Has a chariot pulled by two Has a chariot pulled by two goats. He can kill these goats. He can kill these goats and eat them and goats and eat them and they will come back to life.they will come back to life.

Is constantly fighting the Is constantly fighting the World Serpent – World Serpent – JormungandJormungand

He is capable of drinking He is capable of drinking an oceanan ocean Thor’s

Helmet

SifSif

Sif's hair may represent fields of golden wheat, that she may be associated with fertility, family, wedlock

Sif once had her hair shorn by Loki, and that Thor forced Loki to have a golden headpiece made for Sif

Thor’s wife

BalderBalder

““The Beautiful” and “The Good”The Beautiful” and “The Good” Primarily known for his death and resurrectionPrimarily known for his death and resurrection The favorite childThe favorite child

LokiLoki God of mischief and fireGod of mischief and fire Trickster figureTrickster figure Unknown parentageUnknown parentage Responsible for Balder’s Responsible for Balder’s

death and punished by death and punished by having snake venom having snake venom drip on his foreheaddrip on his forehead

Jormungand, Hel, and Jormungand, Hel, and Fenrir are his childrenFenrir are his children

Will begin RagnorakWill begin Ragnorak

BragiBragi

God of poetry and God of poetry and eloquenceeloquence

Loki calls him Loki calls him “Braggart” and the “Braggart” and the verb “to brag” verb “to brag” comes from his comes from his name.name.

Married to IdunMarried to Idun

IdunIdun

Goddess of Goddess of immortalityimmortality

Keeps the golden Keeps the golden apples of youthapples of youth

Major story deals Major story deals with a giant who, with a giant who, with Loki’s help, stole with Loki’s help, stole the apples, causing the apples, causing the gods to witherthe gods to wither

Freyr / FreyFreyr / Frey God of agriculture, God of agriculture,

fertility, and plentyfertility, and plenty Twin to Freyja (they Twin to Freyja (they

are VERY close)are VERY close) Unlike the other gods, Unlike the other gods,

Freyr and Freyja are Freyr and Freyja are earth dietiesearth dieties

Has a sword that can Has a sword that can fight by itselffight by itself

The boar is his symbolThe boar is his symbol

FreyjaFreyja Goddess of love and fertilityGoddess of love and fertility Twin sister of FreyTwin sister of Frey Slept with four dwarves to Slept with four dwarves to

get a flaming necklace, get a flaming necklace, which becomes her symbol which becomes her symbol of fertilityof fertility

Leader of the ValkyriesLeader of the Valkyries She takes some of the dead She takes some of the dead

warriors for herselfwarriors for herself Has a chariot drawn by catsHas a chariot drawn by cats

Freyja’s hair

Frigg / Frigga / FreaFrigg / Frigga / Frea Mother GoddessMother Goddess Wife of OdinWife of Odin Weaves cloudsWeaves clouds She knows events She knows events in the present and future, in the present and future, but is powerless to but is powerless to change themchange them Learning of her son’s (Balder) death, she Learning of her son’s (Balder) death, she

makes everything promise not to harm him makes everything promise not to harm him – except the mistletoe– except the mistletoe

TyrTyr God of war and God of war and

justicejustice Precursor of Odin Precursor of Odin Boldest of the gods Boldest of the gods Lost his hand to Lost his hand to

Fenrir, Loki’s wolf-son Fenrir, Loki’s wolf-son His symbol is the His symbol is the

spear which has spear which has become a symbol of become a symbol of justice justice

HeimdallHeimdall

““World Brightener”World Brightener” God of the dawnGod of the dawn Great hearing (can Great hearing (can

hear grass grow) hear grass grow) and eyesightand eyesight

Is the look out on Is the look out on Bifrost (the rainbow Bifrost (the rainbow bridge to Asgard)bridge to Asgard)

HoderHoder God of winter and darknessGod of winter and darkness BlindBlind Tricked by Loki into killing BalderTricked by Loki into killing Balder Vali killed Hod in revenge for BalderVali killed Hod in revenge for Balder Will return during RagnarokWill return during Ragnarok

HelHel Daughter of LokiDaughter of Loki GiantessGiantess Goddess of death and the Goddess of death and the

underworldunderworld Half black/ half whiteHalf black/ half white Her face and body are Her face and body are

human but the legs are of a human but the legs are of a corpsecorpse

Has two servants: Ganglati Has two servants: Ganglati and Ganglot and Ganglot

Spread the plague with a Spread the plague with a rake or a broomrake or a broom

Hel / Helheim Hel / Helheim The underworldThe underworld The road to Hel is an icy river The road to Hel is an icy river

(Gjoll) full of weapons(Gjoll) full of weapons Guarded by a large dog (Garm) Guarded by a large dog (Garm)

and Modgud (an ugly goddess)and Modgud (an ugly goddess) Nothing can leave Hel, not Nothing can leave Hel, not

even godseven gods The wicked go here and the The wicked go here and the

people who do not die a people who do not die a glorious death in battleglorious death in battle

A giant in the form of an eagle A giant in the form of an eagle sits and flaps his wings, making sits and flaps his wings, making a freezing wind. His name is a freezing wind. His name is Hraesvelg (corpse eater)Hraesvelg (corpse eater)

GarmGarm

Garm guards the Garm guards the entrance to Helentrance to Hel

Has four eyes and a Has four eyes and a bloody chestbloody chest

Could be appeased Could be appeased with cake as long as with cake as long as they gave the poor they gave the poor bread in lifebread in life

Will join the giants in Will join the giants in RagnorakRagnorak