Gods and Goddesses

The gods and other spiritual beings of Norse mythology are among the most wondrous and unique of any mythology. The Norse gods had very human-like personalities and frequently intervened in human affairs, but were larger-than-life and awe-inspiring in ways that decisively set them apart from mere humans. Their characters were often richly complex and multifaceted; … Continue reading Gods and Creatures →

Odin (pronounced “OH-din”; Old Norse Óðinn, Old English and Old Saxon Woden, Old High German Wuotan, Wotan, or Wodan, Proto-Germanic *Woðanaz, “Master of Ecstasy”) is one of the most complex and enigmatic characters in Norse mythology, and perhaps in all of world literature. He’s the ruler of the Aesir tribe of deities, yet he often … Continue reading Odin →

Thor (Old Norse: Þórr) is the Norse god of thunder, the sky, and agriculture. He is the son of Odin, chief of the gods, and...

Loki is a god in Norse mythology who is often simply described as the ‘trickster’ god for his love of playing pranks on both...

Freyja (Old Norse for ‘Lady’, ‘Woman’, or ‘Mistress’) is the best-known and most important...

Freyr (Old Norse for ‘Lord’, sometimes anglicised as Frey) is the main fertility god in Norse mythology, his connection with...

Frigg is a Norse goddess of fertility, motherhood, and prophecy. She’s the queen of the Æsir, Odin’s wife, and Baldur’s mother.

Balder is the god of almost all that is good. He is associated with everything that is beautiful and joyous in the world.

Heimdall (pronounced “HAME-doll;” Old Norse Heimdallr, whose meaning/etymology is unknown[1]) is one of the Aesir gods and the ever-vigilant guardian of the gods’ stronghold, Asgard. His dwelling is called Himinbjörg (“Sky Cliffs,” connoting a high place ideal for a fortress), which sits at the top of Bifrost, the rainbow bridge that leads to Asgard. He … Continue reading Heimdall →

Tyr (pronounced like the English word “tier”; Old Norse Týr, Old English Tiw, Old High German *Ziu, Gothic Tyz, Proto-Germanic *Tiwaz, “god”[1][2]) is a Norse war god, but also the god who, more than any other, presides over matters of law and justice. His role in the surviving Viking Age myths is relatively slight, and … Continue reading Tyr →

Iðunn is attested to in the Poetic Edda, the Prose Edda, as well as in archaeological burial finds, in which apples and other symbols of this goddess have been found.

The skaldic god of poetry, eloquence, and music. His wife is Iðunn. Snorri Sturluson describes him in Gylfaginning.

Sol (pronounced like the English word “soul”; Old Norse Sól, “Sun”) and Mani (pronounced “MAH-nee”; Old Norse Máni, “Moon”), are, as their names suggest, the divinities of the sun and the moon, respectively. Sol is female, and Mani male. Sol and Mani form a sister and brother pair. When they first emerged as the cosmos … Continue reading Sol and Mani →

Sif was a Norse goddess and wife of the warrior god Thor. Her legacy has been overshadowed by that of her husband but she was at one time a highly recognized and important deity.

Forseti (pronounced “for-SET-ee;” Old Norse Forseti, “Chairman”[1]) is an obscure pre-Christian Norse god. He is mentioned only twice in Old Norse literature. The first mention comes from the 15th stanza of the Grímnismál, one of the poems in the Poetic Edda. There, it’s said that Forseti’s dwelling-place, Glitnir, is a resplendent hall made of gold … Continue reading Forseti →