Norse Goddesses in the 21st Century!

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When my instructor asked me write a blog entry about how Norse Goddesses are relevant in this day and age I have to admit it was quite a challenge at first! However, after a lot of research on the internet I found a t.v. show that airs in New Zealand.

The Almighty Johnsons is a comedy-drama series about four brothers who just happen to be descended from Norse Gods. Each of the Johnson boys has his own God-like power.

And like any good t.v. show about Norse Gods, where there are gods there must be goddesses! Two of the three goddesses that I feature in my blog are represented in this t.v. show.

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Allison Bruce plays Agnetha, leader of the Goddesses and the human incarnation of Freya. She is associated with many things, including beauty, war, death, fertility and wealth.

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Brooke Williams plays Eva. She plays HEL, Goddess of the Underworld. The underworld, in Norse Mythology, is a very cold. Apparently, Miss Williams takes on that characteristic in her role.

The website is announcing that this t.v. show has been approved for a third season. This is a positive indication of the acceptance and curiosity of the Norse Goddesses by this generation. I may even look it up on Netflix and check it out!

Works Cited

The Almighty Johnsons. N.d. Television.

Hel: The Goddess of the Underworld

Artwork created by Robin M. Weare, 1996.  

In Norse Mythology, Hel is featured as the goddess of the underworld.

She is the youngest child of the evil god Loki and the giantess Angrboda. Hel had quite a disturbing appearance. She was born with her bones exposed on the outside of her body. It was also said that she was both black and white. She is usually described as a horrible hag, half alive and half dead, with a gloomy and grim expression. Her face and body are those of a living woman, but her thighs and legs are those of a corpse.

The gods abducted Hel and her brothers from Angroboda's hall. They cast her in the underworld, where she was the judge of those who are sent to her; both the wicked and those who died of sickness and old age. Those who were evil in life go to a realm of icy cold death, where souls would be damned for eternity. The others entering her realm who died of natural causes and disease were watched over by Hel and given a chance at rebirth.

Hel is the ruler of Helheim the realm of the dead. Early Christians borrowed the term from ancient Norsemen, thus Christians call the underworld "hell".

Works Cited

"Hel." Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia (1996): 459. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 30 Nov. 2012.

"Hel." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6Th Edition (2011): 1. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 30 Nov. 2012.

"Hel." Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia Of Literature (1995): N.PAG. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 30 Nov. 2012.

"Love of the Goddess: Hel, Norse Queen of the Underworld." N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2012. <http://loveofthegoddess.blogspot.com/2011/12/hel-norse-queen-of-underworld.html>.

Frigg: Goddess of Marriage and Fertility

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Frigg (sometimes referred to as Frigga) is the Norse Goddess of Marriage and Fertility. She was also the wife of the all-powerful Odin. She is associated with the gift of prophecy, and in some stories is portrayed as weaving the future of men and gods, although she did not have the power to change their destiny.

Frigg is the only one besides Odin who is allowed to sit on his throne. She is known in some Norse tales as Queen of Heaven. She is also the mother of Balder. A loving mother, Frigg's ability to see into the future caused her great pain as she foresaw the death of her beloved son.

She had a great deal in common with Freya, the goddess of Fertility and War. It's possible that these two goddesses developed from a common Germanic deity, although there is no way of knowing their origins completely.

Frigg was first among the goddesses, and lived in a resplendent hall. She was always spinning yarn with her golden distaff and spindle, while she kept an eye on the households down on earth. When she noticed that a housewife worked her loom hard and well, she would snip off a piece of her yarn and send it down to her. No matter how hard the woman worked at her weaving she could not use up the yarn given her by Frigg, because it never came to an end.

Three lovely young goddesses, Fulla, Gna and Lin were Frigg's special ladies-in-waiting. Lin watched over those men and women whom Frigg had singled out to protect from harm. Gna ran her errands down to earth, because Gna had a very swift horse. Fulla carried Frigg's chest and took care of her shoes, and Frigg kept no secrets from her.

Frigg's tender, nurturing side was widely recognized. Her scared animal was the goose. In Germany she was worshipped as the goddess Holda or Bertha and was the original Mother Goose. In addition to being a protector of women in labor, Frigg ensured fertility and was also the goddess called upon to bring a woman love and marriage. She was also called upon by those who were dying, to ease their transition into the after-life.

Works Cited 

D'Aulaire, Ingri, and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire. D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths. New York: New York Review of, 2005. Print. 

"Frigga." : Norse Goddess of Beauty, Love and Marriage. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. <http://www.goddessgift.com/goddess-myths/goddess-frigga.htm>. 

"Frigga - Norse Goddess of Marriage and Prophecy." About.com Paganism / Wicca. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. <http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/norsedeities/qt/FriggaProfile.htm>. 

Freya: The Goddess Fertility and War

Freyja, Cats and Angels, by Nils Blommer (1816-1853)

Freya is the most beautiful and gracious of the Norse Goddesses. She went by several names: Freyja, Freyia, Mardal, Moertholl and Syr. Her name means "lady", "sovereign", "mistress".  She is the daughter of the god Njord, and the sister of Freyr.

She married the mysterious god Od (probably another form of Odin). He gave her permission to invite as many as half of the host to stay with her. Freya was a very busy hostess, for she not only looked after her own heroes, she also helped Odin entertain his heroes in Valhalla. She did not have much time to spend with the other goddesses. Odin was a wanderer, dreamer and had multiple wives. Freya often went looking for him. As she mourned the loss of her husband, she cried profusely and her tears turned to gold.

Freya's attributes strongly resemble those found in other religions. All "Great Mothers", from prehistoric times, wore something around their neck that represented their dignity. Freya is no exception: she wears a necklace called Brisingamen, often mentioned in Poetic Edda and in Snorri's Edda. Apparently she obtained the necklace by sleeping with four dwarfs. She also had a special feather coat with which she could fly around the world, and was also known for having a chariot drawn by two huge male cats.

Together with her consort-brother Frey she was ruler of the Vanir, ancient matriarchal nature deities who pre-existed Norse patriarchy. She was a helpful deity to women in labor. Hopeful lovers worshipped her as she was a goddess of sexuality and making magic with love prayers. Amber is her gem and yew is sacred to her. Freya lives in the beautiful palace Folkvang "Field of Folk", a place where love songs are always played.

Works Cited 

D'Aulaire, Ingri, and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire. D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths. New York: New York Review of, 2005. Print. 

"Freya." About.com Ancient / Classical History. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. <http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/freyamyth/ss/121310-Freya.htm>. 

"Freya." Freya. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. <http://www.pantheon.org/articles/f/freya.html>. 

Olivier, Gouchet. "Siguror and the Women.(Norse Mythology)." Http://www.highbeam.com. ReVision. Heldref Publications, 1999. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. 

Introducing The World Of Norse Goddesses

The Nine Worlds In Norse Mythology

As I begin my research blog on Norse goddesses, I look forward to increasing my knowledge regarding this era of mythology and their use of goddesses. If you have ever been curious about Norse goddesses, or goddesses in general, it is my hope that you will enjoy reading my blog and lose yourself in the magical world that is Norse Mythology.

I chose the topic of Norse goddesses for two reasons. The first reason was because they have so many different goddesses for me to chose from, I knew I would be able to have a fun, creative and informative blog. The second reason I went specifically with goddesses and not animals or gods is because as a woman I have a curiosity about goddesses and maybe even an inner desire to be like one!

The history of Norse Mythology goes back to myths and legends by people who were from the northernmost part of Europe, including Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. It includes many features of the mythology of pre-Christian Germanic groups especially during the Viking era.

All Norse goddesses tend to have characteristics that are larger-than-life. I will blog about several different Norse goddesses describing their appearance, temperament, and function of the deity, as well as touch on the storyline in which the goddess appears.