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IV. The Norse Viking Invasions Beginning @783 A.D. 10 th
Century defeated English in the Battle of Maldon Wanted British
technology, raw goods
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From The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles Attack on Lindesfarne Monastary
A.D. 793 This year came dreadful forewarnings over the land of the
Northumbrians, terrifying the people most woefully; these were
immense sheets of light rushing through the air... and fiery
dragons flying across the firmament. These tremendous tokens were
soon followed by a great famine, and... in the same year, the
harrowing inroads of heathen men made lamentable havoc in the
church of God in Holy-island, by rapine and slaughter
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Lindesfarne
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Lindesfarne Castle The Castle, on the seashore, would have been
hard to conquer, but Vikings attacked the coast almost
annually.
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Lindesfarne Monastery The monastery lies in ruins as a result
of Henry VIIIs dissolution of the monasteries
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And now for something completely different... They were
ruthlessimagine attacking monks and nuns!but they gave us the wild
and wacky world of Norse Mythologywhich will help us understand the
events in Beowulf.
The Norse Flood Story Odin and his brothers Vili and Ve killed
all the frost giants but oneand all the blood flooded the world
When the floodwaters receded, they took two branches and made them
into the first people, Ask (ash) and Embla (elm or vine)
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Norse Cosmology Midgard Middle earth, enclosure away from stone
giants Asgard (Settled by Odin, Vili, Ve the Aesir, guardians of
men) linked to midgard by the flaming rainbow bridge, Bifrost
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Cultural Connection: Dwarves held up the corners of Middle
Earth: Translated, their names mean North, South, East, and
West
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Cultural Connection: The Days of the Week Sunday Monday Tuesday
(Tiuwarrior god, symbol=boar) Wednesday (Wodin) Thursday
(Thorthunder god, very popular) Friday (Freyafertility god)
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Connecting the worlds-- Yggdrasil The living tree, the
suffering tree, the life-giver Regenerates itself, eternal (was,
and is, and will be)
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Ratatosk Nibbles roots of Yggdrasil Carries insults and gossip
between the dragon Nidhogg and an eagle in the top branches
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Original Runes- FUTHORK
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I. Asgard Well of Urd. Three Norns have a hall beside the well
(Wyrd/Urd), Verdandi, Skuld) (equivalent of the fates) Alfheim home
of the elves, or bright elves. Valhalla hall of the slain warriors
(Einheriar), half chosen by Odin, others to Freja Vigrid a vast
plain, stretching 120 leagues in every direction, site of
Ragnarok.
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OdinThe All Father with his ravens Thought & Memory
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Odin with his 8 legged horse Slepnirremind you of anyone?
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An older image in stone
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Significance of trees Odin hung on a tree for nine days to gain
two boons for mankind Runes (magical alphabet) and Skaldic Mead
(poetic inspiration)
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II. Midgard Midgard is the home of men (literally middle-
earth) Bifrost the rainbow bridge (flaming bridge) connects Midgard
to Asgard Spring of Mimir Odin sacrificed an eye to have a single
draught from it, wisdom. Nidavellir land of the dwarves,
underground, from maggots to magical goldsmiths
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The Population of Midgard Heimdall was the guard at the gate of
Midgard Fathered 3generation s for the 3classes of people ; Jarl
(fair, sharp, skilled, strong) Heimdall teaches him the runes of
Odin Class of kings (koniger) and warriors Karl (ruddy,
bright-eyed, well formed) farmers, skilled laborers, peasants
Thrall (ugly, twisted, dull) race of unskilled laborers i.e. to
hold in thrall
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III. Niflheim Niflheim is the realm of the dead (literally home
of fog) 9 days ride north and down Hel goddess of the underworld;
the offspring of Loki, half dead and half living, also her
tower/realm Nidhogg giant dragon gnawing on the roots of Yggdrasil,
with many snakes as well Muspell land of fire, located to the south
ship Naglfari, largest ever built (of dead mens nails), is in
Muspell, will appear at Ragnarok
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Gotterdammerung & Ragnarok Unlike Greek gods, gods were not
invincible Living in the Gotterdamerung, or Twilight of the gods
Would eventually be defeated at Ragnarok, the day of doom
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The Wild Hunt Souls of dead warriors who joined Odin in
Valhalla waiting to join against the forces of destruction at
Ragnarok Brought to Valhalla by the Valkyrie
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The Wild Hunt, 1892, Peter Nicolai Arbo
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Flight of the Valkyrie, 1909, John Charles Dollman
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How do I know if its time for Ragnarok? Winter will reign for
three years with no summer. All the earth will be at war, father
against son, brother against brother. Wolves Skoll and Hati
Hrodvitnisson will swallow the sun & moon, plunging the earth
into darkness. Monsters will break free, and the WILD HUNT will
begin for real!
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Then... The horns of Heimdall will ring to warn other gods of
the danger.
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Gotterdammerung & Ragnarok Fenrir/ The Fenris wolf will run
loose, consuming the earth and heavens. He will swallow Odin.
Eventually, he will be slain by Odins son, Thor, who will tear off
his jaw. Odin and the Fenris Wolf, 1909, Dorothy Hardy
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Fenrir is killed by Thor
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Thor fights the Midgard Serpent
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The Midgard SerpentFloods Middle Earth with poison
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Gotterdammerung & Ragnarok By the end, Yggdrasill and all
the worlds will become a blazing inferno. The gods of the Aesir
& Vanir will die as well as all the inhabitants of Middle
Earth. The sky will fall into a pit of flame and the earth will
sink into the sea. (Cheerful, no?)
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This world view colors the literature of the time, such as
BEOWULF!
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Its also really easy to see where a certain author got
inspiration for his material... J.R.R. Tolkien, who was a professor
of Anglo-Saxon and Norse language and culture.