Zusammenfassung
Zusammenfassung von Mythen der Nordmänner: Aus den Eddas und Sagas
Go deeper: the whole of Mythen der Nordmänner: Aus den Eddas und Sagas
About 7 h 40 min to read.Für wen es gedacht ist
Readers who love myths, legends and ancient epics will enjoy this book, as will those curious about the gods behind Thursday and Friday, and fans of dragons and tricksters.
Worum es in diesem Buch geht
What happens when fire meets ice at the edge of an endless gulf? In this book the answer is a giant born of frost, a cow that licks salt from the ice, and a god who steps out of a frozen block. From that start, the gods build a world from the body of a slain giant, knowing they will not live forever.
Myths of the Norsemen was written by H. A. Guerber, who gathered the old northern stories from the Eddas and sagas of Iceland. She tells each myth and says what part of nature it may stand for. You meet Odin, Thor, Freya, Balder and the sly Loki, follow the hero Sigurd, and walk the road to Ragnarok.
In dieser Zusammenfassung
- 1Fire and ice give birth to the worldFree
- 2One great ash tree holds the worlds together
- 3Odin pays a heavy price for wisdom
- 4Frigga rules the home and sometimes outwits Odin
- 5Thor swings his hammer for gods and farmers
- 6The Vanir bring summer, love and a poet's song
- 7Balder's death marks the turning point of the gods
- 8Loki's cruelty brings chains for him and the wolf
- 9Ragnarok ends the old world and starts a new one
- 10Heroes carry the old tales and echo Greece
Punkt 1 von 10
Fire and ice give birth to the world
The Norse story of creation begins with a gulf, not a garden. To the north lies Nifl-heim, a home of mist and freezing streams. To the south lies Muspells-heim, a land of fire guarded by the giant Surtr.
Sparks from the south fall on ice from the north, and the melting ice gives life to Ymir, a giant of frost. A cow named Audhumla feeds him with her milk. She licks salty ice until a god named Buri steps out of it. Buri's grandsons Odin, Vili and Ve kill Ymir, and his blood drowns nearly all his kin.
The three gods make the world from his body. His flesh becomes Midgard, where people will live. His blood becomes the sea, his bones the hills, his hair the trees, and his skull the sky. Yet wolves chase the sun and moon, longing to swallow them. Because the gods are part giant, they are mortal, and the world they build carries its ending inside it. Creation here is a struggle, and the gods are never safe.
That’s 1 of 10 key points.
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Go deeper: the whole of Mythen der Nordmänner: Aus den Eddas und Sagas
About 7 h 40 min to read.Paperback, hardcover and large print, printed for you at cost, are on their way.Email me when it is printed
Questions about Mythen der Nordmänner: Aus den Eddas und Sagas
What is Myths of the Norsemen about?
It retells the myths of the Norse gods, from the making of the world out of fire and ice to Ragnarok, the last battle. It also covers giants, dwarfs, elves and the hero Sigurd.
Who are the main gods in Norse mythology?
Odin is the chief and father of the gods. Thor is the thunder god, and Frigga is the queen. Tyr, Frey, Freya, Balder, Heimdall and Loki also play major roles in these tales.
Where do these Norse myths come from?
They come mostly from the Elder Edda, a collection of pagan poems gathered in Iceland, and from later sagas. Guerber retells them and adds verse by modern poets.
What is Ragnarok?
Ragnarok is the twilight of the gods, the great final battle foretold in the myths. It follows a long winter and the breaking of the wolf's chains, and it ends the old order of gods.
Is Myths of the Norsemen easy to read?
Yes, the stories are told in clear, flowing prose with short scenes, lively adventures and verse set apart. Each chapter centers on a god or theme, so you can read in any order.
Cite this edition
Guerber, H. A. Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/myths-of-the-norsemen-from-the-eddas-and-sagas.
Guerber, H. A. (2026). Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and sagas. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/myths-of-the-norsemen-from-the-eddas-and-sagas (Original work published 1909)
Guerber, H. A. Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/myths-of-the-norsemen-from-the-eddas-and-sagas.
@book{guerber2026myths,
author = {Guerber, H. A.},
title = {Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/myths-of-the-norsemen-from-the-eddas-and-sagas},
note = {First published 1909}
}
