In the pages of the Mythology by Hamilton we read that myths are beyond stories and there is truth within them. Thanks to this we have been able to learn about the people that left these myths behind. Some of the most important traces of real life in Norse mythology are listed below.
Wisdom: Searching for wisdom and knowledge can be seen in so many myths and stories, especially in the case of Odin. The almighty God of Norse, also known as the one-eyed god. Interestingly, the story of how he lost his eye shows how important wisdom was to Norse people.
The well of knowledge which belongs to Mimir is in Jotunheim, the land of giants. As the gods and giants have always been in fight, it could be a deathly decision for one to visit the other’s realm. And yet Odin, the god of gods, was determined to achieve knowledge even if it endangered his life. So, he disguised as a wanderer and started off his long journey. When he finally reached the well, he asked Mimir for only a cup from the well, but Mimir refused. Mimir was the only one who had drank from the well and therefore possessed a great knowledge. Odin asked what it would cost and Mimir’s answer was: “Your eye.” For the great god Odin who had traveled this long and dangerous path, the price was nothing. And so, with the help of a knife he offered his eye and placed it in the well. Then he filled the cup with water and drank it all. Knowledge was poured into his soul, and he could see more than ever, even without one eye. And that was how he got the name “one-eyed god”.
Certainly, the quest of knowledge, done by the greatest of the gods can show its importance.
War and honor: Our first impression from the Norse mythology was probably associated with the warrior Vikings. In a great number of myths, the brutality and violence of war is felt. And from history we understand that the Norse people, both men and women, were fighters. Even the end of the world, the Ragnarök is about the war of Gods and human warriors against giants. And only honored warriors could fight beside the gods in Ragnarök. Warriors who were bravely died in battles were the honorable, worthy ones and after death they would not go to Helheim, the realm of the dead, but to Valhalla.
It is worthy to mention that some of the Gods have disabilities, mostly as an outcome of war. For instance, Hodur, the god of darkness is blind or the God, Tyr, sacrificed his arm to bound the monster, Fenrir. It is noticeable that disabilities and the battle scars were tokens of honor and were not considered as imperfection. In the contrary to the Greek gods who were the embodiment of perfection and beauty.
Fate: there are three sisters, the Norns who shape everyone’s destiny, even the gods’ destinies. Urd, the past, Verdandi, the present, and Skuld, the future. They are the ones responsible for everyone’s destiny and what’s important is that there is no escape from the fate. In Ragnarök Odin would ask the wise Mimir about the future and is confronted with the gods’ fate that they will die in the battle against giants, but he’d still fight till the end. Ragnarök itself is the inevitability of fate. We have the same theme of destiny in Greek mythology. With the Fates who are more powerful than the gods.
Each time we read another myth we get one step closer to know what those people believed, and it is indeed its most magical part, to find the reality in fiction.
