Ragnarok

Day 729-Ragnarok: "As I gaze into eternity...I see nothing If only I had a star to guide me Or a bird to show me a sign... For the moment, I will rest I'll lie still and silent Strip my mind of thoughts I shall close my eyes and breathe deep the slumber of gods... For awhile, at least..." ------------------------------------------------------------- Text and image idea from the last page of The Mighty Thor #85 (2004) The writer was Michael Avon Oeming | Citation (abridged) and image originally uploaded by Mikey Da Photographer / Michael Dunn

In Scandinavian myth, Ragnarok is a terrible final battle in which gods, mankind and all creation perish.

According to the story, Ragnarok will be preceded by a period of lawless anarchy and followed by the descendents of Lif and Lifthrasir, the only two survivors of the catastrophic war.

The tale is found in two main sources. The Poetic Edda was written in the 13th century, being a compilation of existing poetry. Also in the 13th century the noted historian, writer and statesman Snorri Sturluson wrote a Prose Edda, which makes frequent reference to the Poetic Edda.

The mythographer and writer Stuart Gordon notes similarities among the idea of Ragnorok, the Book of Revelation by St. John, the Hindu notion of yugas, and Plato‘s account of Atlantis.

The story is by no means a dead one, locked in the past. It’s been influential to contemporary video games, film and Marvel comics has repeatedly adapted the Ragnarok cycle in The Mighty Thor¹ and subsequent Thor comics.

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¹ The Mighty Thor

» Aesir, Bible , Fenris, Loki, Thor, Vanir

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Thor

Thor

In Norse mythology, Thor is the son of Odin and Frigga. His famed hammer, the Molinar, contains more mystical power than any other wielded by the Norse gods.

Thor’s destiny is to destroy the world serpent, an evil creature which coils itself around the Earth in the final battle at Ragnarok. At this time, he is destined to die. » Aesir, Fenris

On the Web:

• Excellent entry at Wikipedia » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor

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Vanir

Alflady (Second Life)

Originally uploaded by embervoices

Vanir

At the earlier stages of their mythic development, these Scandinavian gods were constantly at war with the Aesir, who in turn were lead by Odin.

Despite this fact, the Vanir were regarded as the peace-loving branch of the Scandinavian pantheon, just as in contemporary politics many see Canada, America and the United Kingdom as “peace-loving” countries which nonetheless engage in war when deemed necessary for the greater good.

The Vanir originally were fertility gods connected with the earth and waters.

Later they became more specialized gods of the weather, crops and business.

This is similar to the Hindu pantheon, where deities also demonstrate increased specialization over centuries of social, historical and mythic development.

Further to Hindu myth, David L. Miller says that the noted mythographer Georges Dumézil believed that the Vanir corresponded to the Indian “Asvin or Nasatya” (Review: Light from the North, Journal of Bible and Religion, Vol. 34, No. 1 (Jan., 1966: 25-28), p. 26).

The best known Vanir are Frey and his sister Freya, both children of the sea-god Njord and stepchildren of the she-giant Skadi, who prevailed over the mountains and became Njord’s wife.

Vanadis (Second Life)

Originally uploaded by embervoices

Ember notes that Skadi’s status us Frey and Freya’s stepmother

is made fairly clear in the Lore by the fact that the three of them, Njordh, Freyr, and Freya come to the Vanir as hostages, such that Njordh was available in Asgard when the time came for Skadhi to choose a husband. » See in context

The Vanir inhabited an underground lair called Vanaheim.

Eventually the Vanir began to intermarry with the Aesir, this culminating in their integration as a unified but not entirely homogenous pantheon.

After merging with the Aesir, the Vanir for the most part dwelled in the sky region of Asgard but, according to David Leeming, still spent time in their former home of Vanaheim.†

» Ragnarok

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† David Leeming, Oxford Companion to World Mythology (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005, p. 392).

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Aesir

The valkyries walk to battle with their god Odin

Originally uploaded by Ran Yaniv Hartstein

Aesir The earliest race of Teutonic gods, chief of whom was Odin.

The pantheon included Thor, Tiu, Balder, Bragi (inspirer of poetry), Vidar (lord of silence), Hoder (a blind deity who killed Balder), Hermod (sacred messenger), Hoenir, Odnir, Loki (a trickster god) and Vali (Odin’s last son).

The group held daily councils under the world tree, Yggdrassil, and collectively dwelled in Asgard.

Each deity, however, occupied their own particular region, Odin’s being Valhalla.

Another early race of Scandanavian gods, the Vanir, were in perpetual conflict with the Aesir but the two groups eventually merged. Although the Aesir and the Vanir became an extended family, as it were, the latter assumed the appellation of the former. » Ragnarok

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