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| Gods & Goddesses
Odin
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Image Copyright (C) Denyse Shorrocks - used with permission. |
OdinThe All FatherPantheon: Norse Element: Air Sphere of Influence: Knowledge and Poetry Preferred colors: Blue, Purple Associated symbol: All Seeing Eye Animals associated with: Raven , Eight Legged Steed (Sleipnir) Best day to work with: Wednesday Strongest around Yule Suitable offerings: Mead, good food Associated Planet: Mercury |
Odin, the all-father, commanded the Valkyries, who carried out his orders on the battlefield unquestioningly. He lost his eye drinking from the well of Mimir, which made him eternally wise. He hung himself on the tree Yggdrasil for nine days in order to obtain the secret of the runes. He is the god of War, and of wisdom. His steed, Sleipnir, had eight hooves and was the swiftest of all stallions. He was also the God of Poetry because he was able to steal the "Poets mead" which was from the divine source. | |
Additional Information on Odin from WikipediaInformation is unedited and uncheckedFor other meanings of Odin, see Odin (disambiguation).Wotan, Wodan, Woden, Oden, Odin or Óðinn is usually considered the supreme god of Germanic peoples|Germanic and Norse mythology. ||| == General information == His role, like many of the Norse pantheon, is complex: he is god of both wisdom and war, roles not necessarily conceived of as being mutually sympathetic in contemporary society. His name, for the warlike Norsemen, was synonymous with battle and warfare, for it recurs throughout the myths as the bringer of victory. Odin was a shape-changer, able to change his skin and form in any way he liked. He was said to travel the world disguised as an old man with a staff, one-eyed, grey-bearded and wearing a wide-brimmed hat (called Gangleri ("the wanderer")). Odin sometimes traveled among mortals under aliases Vak and Valtam. Snorri Sturlusons Edda depicts Óðinn as welcoming into his hall, Valhǫll, the courageous battle-slain. These fallen, the einherjar, will support Óðinn at the final battle of the end of the world, Ragnarok|Ragnarǫk. The Roman Empire|Roman historian Gaius Cornelius Tacitus|Tacitus refers to Odin as Mercury (mythology)| Mercury for the reason that, like Mercury, Odin was regarded as psychopomp|Psychopompos, "the leader of souls". Viktor Rydberg, in his work on Teutonic Mythology, draws a number of other parallels between Odin and Mercury, such as the fact that they were both responsible for bringing poetry to mortal man. The god is believed to be manifest in a noisy, bellowing movement across the sky, not unlike Vāta, Lord of Wind of the Hindu faith. It is unsurprising therefore to find Odin deeply associated with the concept of the Wild Hunt, called in Norse beliefs Asgardareid. Odin and Frigg participated in this together. == Odins Family == Odin was a son of Bestla and Bor and brother of Ve|Vé and Vili and together with these brothers he cast down the frost giant Ymir and created the world from Ymirs body. The three brothers are often mentioned together. "Wille" is the German word for "will" (English), "Weh" is the German word (Gothic wai) for "woe" (English: great sorrow, grief, misery) but is more likely related to the archaic German "Wei" meaning sacred. Odin fathered his most famous son Thor on Jörd|Jord Earth. But his wife and consort was the goddess Frigg who in the best-known tradition was the loving mother of their son Baldur|Baldr). By the giantess Grid|Gríðr, Odin was the father of Vidar|Víðarr and by Rind he was father of Vali. Also many royal families claimed descent from Odin through other sons. For traditions about Odins offspring see Sons of Odin. == Odins Possessions == He possessed Sleipnir, an eight-legged horse, and the severed head of Mimir|Mímir, which foretold the future. He employed Valkyrjur to gather the souls of warriors fallen in battle (the Einherjar), as these would be needed to fight for him in the battle of Ragnarok|Ragnarok. They took the souls of the warriors to Valhalla (the hall of the fallen), Odins residence in Asgard. One of the Valkyries, Brynhild|Brynhildr, was imprisoned in a ring of fire by Odin for daring to disobey him. She was rescued by Sigurd. He was similarly harsh on Hod|Hodur, a blind god who had accidentally killed his brother, Baldur. Odin and Rind, a giantess, raised a child named Vali|Váli for the specific purpose of killing Hod. Odin has a number of magical artifacts associated with him: the dwarven spear Gungnir, a magical gold ring (Draupnir), an eight-legged horse (Sleipnir), and two ravens Hugin and Munin|Huginn and Muninn (Thought and Memory) who travel the world to acquire information at his behest. He also commands a pair of wolves named Geri and Freki. From his throne, Hlidskjalf (located in Valaskjalf), Óðinn could see everything that occurred in the universe. == A deity of many names == His name has roots in the Old Norse word óðr, meaning "inspiration, madness, anger", and the god may have evolved from Odr. Odin (Óðinn) is also referred to as Vóden. Other variations are: Othinn; Old High German Wuotan; (German word Wut translates to anger, rage) Old Low German Wodan, Wotan; and Old English Woden, which appears to mean "furious", "wild", "mad". He is also called the Allfather (in Icelandic language|Icelandic: Alfǫðr) meaning "father of all". This word is used in Snorri Sturlusons Younger Edda.The German Allvater indicates the father of all. The German word All as in Weltall and Vater translates to English: universe father. The Norsemen gave Odin many nicknames; this was in the Norse bardic tradition of kennings, a poetic method where a person, a place or an object was referred to indirectly, almost like a riddle. A list of these follows: Fimbul, Ginnregin, Grímr (or Grímnir) (Hooded), Gangleri (Wayweary), Herjan (Ruler), Hjálmberi (Helmet bearer), Þekkr (Much Loved), Þriði (Third), Þuðr (?), Uðr (?), Helblindi ( Hel blinder), Hárr (High); Saðr (Truthful), Svipall (Changing), Sanngetall (Truthful), Herteitr (Host glad), Hnikarr (Overthrower), Bileygr (Shifty-eyed), Báleygr (Flaming-eyed), Bölverkr (Ill-doer), Fjölnir (Many-shaped), Grímnir (Hooded), Glapsviðr (Swift in deceit), Fjölsviðr (Wide in wisdom); Síðhöttr (Broad hat), Síðskeggr (Long beard), Sigföðr (Father of Victory), Hnikuðr (Overthrower), Alföðr (Allfather), Atríðr (Rider), Farmatýr (God of Cargoes); Óski (God of wishes), Ómi (Shouter), Jafnhárr (Even as high), Biflindi (?), Göndlir (Wand bearer), Hárbarðr (Greybeard); Sviðurr (Changing(?)), Sviðrir (Changing(?)), Jálkr (Gelding), Kjalarr (Keel), Viðurr (?), Þrór (?), Yggr (Terrible), Þundr (Thunderer), Vakr (Wakeful), Skilfingr (Shaker), Váfuðr (Wanderer), Hroptatýr (Crier of the gods), Gautr (Father), Veratýr (Lord of men); Lord of the gallows; Hanga (the hanged god); Sigtyr (God of victory). == Odin as a shaman == The goddess Freya is seen as an adept of the mysteries of seid (shamanism), a völva, and it is said that it was she who initiated Odin into its mysteries. In Lokasenna Loki abuses Odin for practising seid, condemning it as a unmanly art. A justification for this may be found in the Ynglinga saga where Snorri opines that following the practice of seid, the practitioner was rendered weak and helpless. Odin was a compulsive seeker of wisdom, consumed by his passion for knowledge, to the extent that he sacrificed his eye to Mimir, in exchange for a drink from the waters of wisdom in Mimirs well. Some German sacred formulae, known as "Merseburger Zaubersprueche" were written down in c 800 AD and survived. One (this is the second) starts as follows, and it describes Odin in the role of healer: :Phol ende UUodan vuorun zi holza. :du uuart demo Balderes volon sin vuoz birenkit :thu biguel en Sinthgunt, Sunna era suister; :thu biguol en Friia, Volla era suister .... English translation: :Phol (Balder) and Wodan were riding in the forest :Balders foal dislocated its foot :Sinthgunt and Sol (goddess)|Sol, her sister, tried to cure it by magic :Frige and Fulla, her sister, tried to cure it by magic Further, the creation of the runes, the Norse alphabet that was also used for divination, is attributed to Odin and is described in the Rúnatal, a section of the Havamal. He hung himself from the tree Yggdrasil, whilst pierced by his own spear, to acquire knowledge. He hung there for nine days and nights, a number deeply significant in Norse magical practice (there were, for example, The Nine Worlds of Norse Mythology|nine realms of existence), thereby learning nine magical songs and eighteen magical runes. The purpose of this strange ritual, a god sacrificing himself to himself because there was nothing higher to sacrifice to, was to obtain mystical insight through mortification of the flesh; however, some scholars assert that the Norse believed that insight into the runes could only be truly attained in death. Some scholars would see this as a garbled version of the story of Christs crucifixion, but the probability is that the poem shows the influence of shamanism, where the symbolic climbing of a "world tree" by the shaman in search of mystic knowledge is a common religious pattern. We know that sacrifices, human or otherwise, to the gods were commonly hung in or from trees, often transfixed by spears. (See also: Peijainen) Incidentally, one of Odins alternative names is Ygg, and Yggdrasil therefore means "Yggs (Odins)horse". Another of Odins names is Hangatyr, the god of the hanged. Odins love for wisdom can also be seen in his work as a farmhand for a summer, for Baugi, in order to obtain the mead of poetry. See Fjalar and Galar for more details. == Sacrifices to Odin == Odin was the only god in Scandinavian mythology to demand human sacrifice. Adam of Bremen relates that every ninth year, people assembled from all over Sweden to sacrifice at the Temple at Uppsala. Male slaves, and males of each species were sacrificed and hung from the branches of the trees. As the Swedes had the not only to elect king but also to depose a king, the sagas relate that both king Domalde and king Olof Trätälja were sacrificed to Odin after years of famine. It was common, particularly among the Cimbri, to sacrifice a prisoner to Odin prior to or after a battle. One such prisoner, the "Tollund Man", was discovered hanged, naked along with many others, some of whom were wounded, in Central Jutland. The victim singled out for such a sacrifice was usually the first prisoner captured in battle. The rites particular to Odin were sacrifice by hanging, as in the case of Tollund Man; impalement upon a spear, and burning. The Orkneyinga saga relates another (and uncommon) form of Odinic sacrifice, wherein the captured Ella is slaughtered by the carving out of a "blood-eagle" upon his back. More significantly, however, it has been argued that the killing of a combatant in battle was to give a sacrificial offering to Odin. The fickleness of Odin in battle was well-documented, and in Lokasenna, Loki taunts Odin for his inconsistency. Sometimes sacrifices were made to Odin to bring about changes in circumstance, a notable example being the sacrifice of King Vikar (detailed in Gautreks Saga and Saxo, whereby a fleet facing winds which were blowing them off course drew lots to sacrifice to Odin that he might abate the winds; the king himself drew the lot and was hung. Sacrifices were probably also made to Odin at the beginning of summer, since Ynglinga saga states one of the great festivities of the calendar is at sumri, The Ynglinga saga also details the sacrifices made by the Swedish king Aun, who, it was revealed to him, would lengthen his life by sacrificing one of his sons every ten years; nine of his ten sons died this way. When he was about to sacrifice his last son Egil, the Swedes stopped him. == Odin and the Church == The Roman Catholic|Catholic church turned all Germanic nature gods into anti-gods. Papal propaganda and the zeal of monks to eradicate "heathenism" turned the Germanic god Wotan into a wild warring beast, Freya or Frigg into a witch, the Prussian god Deiw into Deiwel-Teufel, or devil. The word devil in English is not derived from the Prussian god Deiw, however. Despite persecutions by Catholic church, the memory of Wotan persisted in legends, fairytales and customs. In 1900 the concept of Woden was still current in Mecklenburg. For many Germans, Michael|St. Michael replaced Wotan, and many mountain chapels dedicated to St. Michael can be found. == Named after Odin == *Many places are named after him, especially in Scandinavia, such as Odense (Denmark) and Odensbacken (Sweden), but also places in other Germanic countries, such as Wednesbury (England), Wodensberg (Germany), and Woensdrecht (Netherlands). *Almost all German Gaue (Latin, pagi) had mountains and other places named after him under such generic names as Wodenesberg, Wuodenesberg, Godesberg and Gudensberg, Wodensholt, etc. *"Wotans Day" or "Wodens Day", has become Wednesday in English (compare Norwegian, Danish and Swedish onsdag, Dutch_language|Dutch woensdag). Odins son Thor gives his name to "Thors Day" , Thursday (torsdag, donderdag or "thunderday" as Thor is the god of thunder), and his wife Frigg to Friday (fredag, vrijdag). *3989 Odin|Asteroid 3989 has been named after Odin. == Alternate viewpoints == * The legend/myth of Odin might have been based on an ancient king (see below). This was one of the last of Thor Heyerdahls archeo-anthropological theories. See The search for Odin. * Some scholars believe that Snorri Sturlusons version of Norse mythology is an attempt to shoehorn a somewhat more shamanistic tradition into a Greek mythological cast, although this view does a considerable disservice to Sturlussons efforts to maintain in permanent form what was essentially an oral tradition. Sturlussons writing (particularly in Heimskringla) tries to maintain an essentially scholastic neutrality, even though he was writing in what had by that time become an essentially Christian society. Odin is supposed to match Zeus in this scenario. == Other spellings == * Norwegian language|Norwegian: Odin * Common Swedish language|Swedish form: Oden * Icelandic language|Icelandic: Óðinn * German language|German: Wotan, Der Allvater * Dutch language|Dutch: Wodan * Old English language|Old English: Woden == Old Norse texts in which Odin appears in person == *Grimnismál *Hávamál *Lokasenna *Voluspa ==See also== * Anglo-Saxons NorseMythology Mythological king of Sweden | prev=Gylfi | next=Njord == Odin in modern literature, movies, and video games == * Odin appears in Epic Megagames God of Thunder trilogy of computer games, in which he plays the role of mentor to Thor ("My son, I know it is fun to kill people, but...") * Odin is a summoning|summoned creature in several of Squaresofts Final Fantasy games. He appears, when summoned, wearing an antlered helmet and riding on a horse. The horse later appeared as his six-legged steed, Sleipnir. * Odin appears in K.A. Applegates Everworld series. * Odin appears as Mr. Wednesday in Neil Gaimans novel, American Gods. spoiler Mr. Wednesday, in this book, hires the main character, Shadow. Wednesday, although he is a god, is reduced to the role of common conman in many cases. However, he rallies all the old gods against the new ones. At the end of the book, Shadow meets a different incarnation of Odin on a trip to Iceland. The Icelandic Odin wears a cloak, and is not referred to as Mr. Wednesday. * Along with many other gods from the Norse pantheon, Odin makes an appearance in Marvel Comics Thor (Marvel Comics)| Thor comic book series, and makes occasional appearances in other comics set in the Marvel Universe. * Odin is often in the forefront, or sometimes the hero along with Thor and Loki, in the Valhalla (comics)|Valhalla comic book or graphic novel series published in Denmark by Interpresse. Originally published in Danish, translations were made into Dutch, German, French, Swedish, and Finnish. Several animated movies were also produced from the series. * Odin appeared once in the Gargoyles (television series)|Gargoyles animated series. In the episode in which he appeared, he tried to get his missing eye back from the Gargoyles in several ways. The eye of Odin transformed whoever used it into a powerful tyrant, and Odin did battle with Goliath for the eye. The Gargoyle Goliath won the battle with the help of the eye, but the other Gargoyles convinced him to remove the eye, whence Odin took it back. *Aspects of the Lord of the Rings character Gandalf are drawn from Odin. *Douglas Adams The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul features cameos by Odin and Thor. ==Bibliography== *The Cult of Othinn - (Hector Chadwick) *The Battle God of the Vikings - (H.E. Davidson York 1972) This text is made available under the GNU Free Documentation License Agreement. The full text of this article is available for download here. (Odin) | |