Monday, September 19, 2011
Norse Mythology Response- Matt
I've always loved Norse and Greek mythology. Beyond letting us peek into their cultures, both simply make for great short stories. I think they are very similar in many ways, but my favorite part about Norse mythology is that nearly all of them involve some kind of trickery. It's almost as if each time I read a new one, I'm just waiting for the trick to come, but they still amaze me every time. I also enjoy the symbolism that Maria pointed out. And, as I believe someone mentioned in class, a lot of the symbolism is very applicable today. The Gods tricking and taking advantage of the Giants is very similar to the relationship between modern day humans and nature. I really like having a guest speaker present in class and getting to hear another voice on their subject of expertise.
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I was not yet able to hear the speaker's presentation on Norse Mythology but I thoroughly enjoyed the reading in the course pack--I, too, noticed the underlying motif of trickery.
ReplyDeleteI tried to focus on learning about what the article claimed to be the four foremost dieties (Odin, Thor, Freya, and Freyr) but the triskster Loki seemed to be a much more dynamic, leading character than any of the other four! I thought this interesting because, as you point out the similarities between the nature of modern day humans and the behavior of the Norse Gods, it is very "human" to become mesmerized by the misdoings of people rather than the good. For example, a murderer will be remembered for decades, but even the most accomplished heroes will be quickly forgotten (just think, how many of you know the names of the CNN heroes nominated last year?).
The Norse people used their gods as a way of "validation" for their own lives (especially in violent times) so it makes sense that the Gods would be so "human" even in their wicked ways. Thinking in this light, Loki's popularity, or perhaps notoriety is a better term, is very fitting.