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.

Response to Norse Mythology - Mackenzie

I have to agree with what Chris said. I think we all appreciate that Maria Gull came in to class to present and talk to us, and she had some really interesting things to share. I really enjoyed having a guest speaker, and think that the format will prove interesting throughout the semester.

I also found some comparisons between Norse mythology and Greek mythology, and found some similarities and differences between the two. I am taking a class on Greek civilization right now, so it is interesting to see how they correspond. I would say that one major difference is the role of women in society. Where in Norse mythology women played an important role, and could even engage in combat, in Greek mythology, besides for the goddesses, women were viewed as weak. I also agree with Emily and Sam's responses, finding it interesting to learn that the women were treated so well in both the norse myths, but also in their society. Women were respected, able to fight, and the king and queen ruled jointly. I think that the vikings were progressive in the rights of the people in their society, and it is interesting to think that the women in their society had so many rights, when women all over the world today still don't have those rights.

I found the whole presentation interesting and enjoyed learning all about norse mythology and the vikings.

Norse Mythology Response - Chris

First, I found it neat that Maria Gull took the time to visit our class and give us this presentation, it makes for a cool format and atmosphere in the class. Norse Mythology is something that I had no prior knowledge on, but I feel that it should help us all understand the history of Scandinavian civilization, and also allow us to better understand how Scandinavian civilization has evolved and changed since the days of the vikings.

I also found it neat to compare Norse mythology to Greek mythology, as they are both very revealing of their respective cultures and opinions on social identities such as gender. I am curious what similarities or differences people found between Norse mythology and Greek mythology???

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.

Response to Norse Mythology - Sam

I found Maria’s lecture on Norse Mythology very informative, especially since I previously knew very little about the subject. Just as Dylan and Ben mentioned, I was really surprised at how important women’s roles were. They were allowed to step up and be seen as strong, and when there were no men in the house one of the women had to step up and become the man of the house. Many people in the community relied on these women who would come by and tell them their future and treated them very well because they were the ones in contact with the gods. I also liked the fact that the king and queen ruled jointly.

Another part that I found very interesting was the respect they had for nature. I think that the Scandinavian people at the time had a great outlook on nature; they were humbled and driven by the fact that they couldn’t battle against nature and win.

The other little fact that I really liked was that the whole idea of myths is to compete with missionaries.

Christine's Mythology Reaction

One of the things that stood out to me the most about Maria Gull's Norse Mythology lecture was the outlook of the Scandinavian people.  They were humbled by nature and the knowledge that every one will die, but instead of letting that be a hindrance to achievement, it was a motivation to do their best.  I thought this was a very wise thing to live by as a culture and it is prevalent in their successful conquests and innovations.

However, I did think that the idea of warriors dying in battle because they were the best fighters was a little counter-intuitive. Though I'm sure it was a comfort for the families of Viking warriors as well as a point of pride.

Norse Mythology Response

I think people have made a really good point about how Norse mythology reflected real life values. It's a very important source, it seems, for understanding their culture and the way they lived. What I find most interesting about their gender roles is not only that both genders merited equal power and respect, but also that these very roles were interchangeable, and in this sense did not even exist at all, because there appears to not have been a general definition of expected and socially accepted male and female societal roles and characteristics.

Norse Mythology Lecture Reaction

Like Dylan, I was also surprised to hear how large a role women played in society, even taking on militaristic roles (like the shield-maidens) or becoming the "man of the house". They also were relied on for general guidance within the community since women were the ones who kept in contact with the gods and relayed that information onto the chieftains in town. These roles were also evident in some of the myths - the Norse had their fate in the afterlife determined by the Valkyries, and would spent it led by either Hel, Freya, or Ran (all women) if they didn't make it into Valhalla.
Also in the Lay of Thrym story, the king of the frost giants (Thrym) demanded Freyja (goddess of fertility) as his wife in exchange for Thor's Hammer. She was disgusted by the idea, and demanded Thor and Loki develop a different strategy. They seemed to fear her anger, and respected the decision so they instead sent Thor in disguise as a bride. It seems like in the pantheons of other cultures this type of compromise for a goddess would not be honored.

I also thought it was cool how the social differences that existed in real life were clear from reading the myths. In the war between Aesir and Vanir, the frustration of the Vanir could parallel the farmer/peasant class (Vanir) feeling undermined by the nobility (Aesir). The Vanir felt cheated with the exchange and killed one of Odin's ravens (Honir) who represented knowledge.