Sunday, September 18, 2011

Norse Mythology Lecture Response - Emily

As many of the previous responses noted, I was really surprised by how egalitarian Viking society was, particularly in allowing women to engage in fighting, or become powerful queens. Women's ability to elevate their status in society by being the only individuals able to contact the gods was also interesting. Women were respected in both myths, as they controlled death and the places people went after they died, and in their earthly roles. The female burial mounds, including boats, and many treasures were also good measures of how valuable some women were in Viking society. I thought the Viking gender equality was very progressive, especially considering it was over a thousand years ago and modern women in American and many other cultures lack the same liberty and respect; for example, American women are not allowed in many military combat situations. Overall, I thought Maria's lecture presented a lot of really unique information and that Viking history deserves more than just a brief mention in history classes, because of their engaging myths and the ways in which daily life mirrored them.

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