Introduction to Norse Mythology: Learn Whose Beard to Swear by

Imagine yourself as a Viking, a hulking seven feet something mass of violence, mead and unexpectedly good musical ability. Now, imagine a place you’d like to call home. Taverns, fighting rings, trees (for some reason), and lots of areas to conquer. Congratulations! You have correctly assumed what Ancient Norse lands looked like! (Modern Iceland, for your reference) Finally, imagine what such a man would pray to, dedicate his faith to? What could a brain, a cesspool of alcohol, blood and multiple concussions possibly think of as a story worthy enough to take inspiration from? Worthy enough to scream and fight countless wars, worthy enough for a sword to impale him?

Surprisingly, a complex ballad of nine worlds and two factions of gods creating and running the universe in a chaotic manner, illustrated with beasts of outworldly size and powers, and underlined with an intricate poetry of how each soul in each world operates. Shocked? Yeah, so was I. Welcome, to the introduction of Norse Mythology! Decide what world you’d like to be in a world where literally anything is possible (and let me know, because this ‘create a character’ thing is too complicated for me. Or maybe I just drank too much) and embark on a journey to find a snake that is the size of the world (yes. I know. No, you can not suck its venom out. No, no Versace coats)

The origin of the world is Norse Mythology is similar, if not the exact same as other myths that appeared around Europe around the 13th century. Icelandic balladeers and poets sat together and imagined the beginning of their divine world by creating the end of it - ‘Muspelheim’. Muspelheim is the first of the nine worlds in the Norse Mythology solar system, and is ruled by Surt - yes, Marvel Surt. (Note: you will be reading a lot of names you are familiar with from the MCU. Please also note that none of what the MCU has told you holds any real credibility in the mythology, aside from some vague descriptions that they unironically nailed. By Odin’s beard, if you want to learn anything, read on)

Right. Surt. Surt is the hulking demon like creature that sits at the helm of Muspelheim, a land of flames, fire, and heat, and has the power to destroy the world in the events of Ragnarok, but because people want to live, for some reason, Muspelheim is split from the rest of the nine worlds by the Ginnungagap, beyond which, comes the first of our eight non socially distanced planets, named Niflheim, or the land of chills and cools and brr. The story is that Niflheim and Muspelheim’s opposing nature resulted in the creation of the Ginnungagap, and from it, emerged Ymir, the first living being in Norse mythology. Exciting!

Ymir, a hermaphrodite giant, was asexual, and thus, reproduced without needing a partner (not like the poor guy had one). As he slept, a slew of giants lept forth from between his legs and the sweat of his armpits. It is very unclear what happened next. In a short attempt to condense a million page ballad, Ymir technically gave birth to Audhumla, who nourished him with his milk, and she was nourished through the ice. Her licking of the ice on Niflheim gave birth to Buri, the first of the aesir gods, and Bestla, the future wife of Buri (yes, Norse mythology has inbreeding too, but in their defence, they had no other option) Buri and Bestla then gave birth to Odin, our dear king of the Aesir gods, ushering us into modern norse mythology. With me so far? No? It gets more complicated. Remember the patricide thingy in Greek Mythology? It makes its way here too. I am beginning to wonder if all European poets needed therapy.

Anyway, Odin decided to kill Ymir because he was a destructive giant, so he had to be killed. Reasoning remains as unknown as sense was to Odin, as he chopped Ymir’s organs to create Midgard, or as you know it, earth! Ymir was used very sustainably, as they fashioned the oceans from his blood, the soil from his skin and muscles, vegetation from his hair, clouds from his brains, and the sky from his skull. Four dwarves, corresponding to the four cardinal points, held Ymir’s skull aloft above the earth. After that, Odin and his fellow gods made Ask and Embla, the first human beings (Adam and Eve’s Norwegian cousins!), and put a fence around the world to protect them from giants like Ymir (the atmosphere, as you’d call it) 

Henceforth, the creation of the world began, slowly, and steadily, and emerged the nine realms: The next of which was Asgard (later, Troy), the stronghold of Odin and his brothers. They built it besides Yggdrasil, the world tree, whose branches go up to the heavens. Everything else in the norse mythology story sort of came up after this, but this only goes to show how you should not judge a viking by his beard - just because he can hammer your head to a wall, doesn’t mean he suffered the same fate. Stay tuned to uncover more mysteries to further confuse yourself, and happy reading!!!