From Asgard to Valhalla: The Remarkable History of the Norse MythsWhether they focus on Thor's powerful hammer, the mysterious valkyries, the palatial home of the gods - Asgard - or ravenous wolves and fierce elemental giants, the Norse myths are packed with vivid incident. But at the centre of their cosmos stands a gnarled old ash tree from which all distances and times are measured. When the old tree creaks, Ragnarok - the end of the world and of the gods themselves - is at hand. It is from this tree that Odin, father of the gods, hanged himself in search of the wisdom of the dead: a disturbing image of divine sacrifice far removed from the feasting and fighting of his otherworld home, Valhalla. This is the first book to show how the Norse myths have resonated from era to era: from Viking-age stories of ice and fire to the epic poetry of Beowulf; and from Wagner's Ring to Marvel Comics' Mighty Thor. Heather O'Donoghue considers the wider contexts of Norse mythology, including its origins, medieval expression and reception in post-medieval societies right up to the present. From Asgard to Valhalla is a book that will intrigue and delight anyone with an interest in how the Norse myths have so profoundly shaped the western cultural heritage. |
Other editions - View all
From Asgard to Valhalla: The Remarkable History of the Norse Myths Heather O'Donoghue Limited preview - 2024 |
From Asgard to Valhalla: The Remarkable History of the Norse Myths Heather O'Donoghue Limited preview - 2024 |
From Asgard to Valhalla: The Remarkable History of the Norse Myths Heather O'Donoghue Limited preview - 2008 |
Common terms and phrases
actual Ćsir allusions ancient Anglo-Saxon Asgard audience Baldr battle beliefs Beowulf Bloodtide brother Brünnhilde called carved celebrated century characters Christian culture Danish death described dwarves earth echoes Edda Eddaic poem England English evidence figure Frey Freyja Germanic giant giantess goddess Gray's Hakon hammer Hávamál hero heroic human Iceland killed King language legendary literary literature Loki magic material medieval mysterious mythic narrative nation Nibelungen-mythus Njörd Norse gods Norse myth Norse mythology Norse poem Norse sources Norse tradition Northern Norway novel Odin Odin's Old Norse myth Old Norse mythology original pagan perhaps poem Völuspá poet poetic poetry political prose racial Ragnarök re-telling religion Ring cycle runes runic inscriptions sacrifice Scandinavian scholars sibyl Siegfried Sigmund Sigurd Sinfjötli skaldic Skirnir Snorri Sturluson story Thor Thor's Tolkien's translation Valhalla valkyries Vanir verse Viking metal Viking-age Volsung Völsunga saga Völuspá Wagner warriors wisdom word World Serpent worship Wotan Yggdrasill Ymir