The Norse Myths: A Guide to the Gods and Heroes

Carolyne Larrington

Book cover for The Norse Myths: A Guide to the Gods and Heroes
Book cover for The Norse Myths: A Guide to the Gods and Heroes

The Norse Myths: A Guide to the Gods and Heroes

The Norse Myths: A Guide to the Gods and Heroes

Carolyne Larrington

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Description

The Norse Myths presents the infamous Viking gods, from the mighty Asyr, led by Ó?inn, and the mysterious Vanir, to Thor and the mythological cosmos they inhabit. Passages translated from Old Norse bring this legendary world to life, from the myths of creation to ragnarök, the prophesied end of the world at the hands of Loki's army of monsters and giants, and everything that comes in between: the long and problematic relationship between the gods and the giants, the (mis)adventures of human heroes and heroines, with their family feuds, revenges, marriages, and murders; and the interaction between the gods and mortals.

Photographs and drawings show a range of Norse sites, objects, and characters, from Viking ship burials to dragons on runestones. Dr. Carolyne Larrington describes the Norse myths' origins in pre-Christian Scandinavia and Iceland, and their survival in archaeological artifacts and written sources, from Old Norse sagas and poems to the less-approving accounts of medieval Christian writers. She traces their influences into the work of Wagner, William Morris, and J. R. R. Tolkien, and even Game of Thrones in the resurrection of the Fimbulvetr, or "Mighty Winter."

Critical Reviews

An accessible blend of scholarship and story, full of intriguing asides... In easily digestible chapters, well-regarded scholar Larrington addresses the gods and goddesses of the myths before offering a lineup to those they battle--the giants who roam the world.-- "Library Journal"

Publishing Information

Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Pub date: 2017-02-14
Length: 208 pages

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