Questions tagged [odin]
For questions about the deity in Norse mythology, also known as Woden, who was the king of the Aesir gods.
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Is Odin brother of Loki?
How are Odin and Loki related? In some places I read that they're siblings, in the movie it's father and son I think
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Is there any connection between Odin and the Irish Goddess Morrigan?
At first glance, these two gods seem to share just a single aspect - an association with war. But digging a little deeper there seems to be a similarity between the function of Odin's maiden, the ...
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What norse mythology books do you recommend for young children?
My children have norse names due to my and my partner's interest in norse mythology. My oldest child (6) is becoming more and more interested in the origins of his name and about Odin, specifically. ...
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How was Odin influenced by Christianity?
Due to Loki's nature as a trickster, among many other reasons, I believe he was demonized with the spread of Christianity in Scandinavia and associated somewhat with Lucifer/Satan (please correct me ...
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Are Harbard and Saga actually Odin and Frigg?
I heard recently that Harbard was actually Odin. The supposition was in his reaction after tricking Thor he displayed the same patterns as Odin. Similarly I heard that Saga is purported to be Frigg in ...
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Why would Odin and Freyja send fallen men to Helheim?
Since it's known that when Ragnarok occurs, all of the fallen vikings who weren't worthy of Valhalla or folkvangr are sent to helheim to eventually be led by Fenrir to destroy Odin and all of the ...
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Does Odin have fish to tell him what goes on in the seas?
Odin has two wolves to inform him about land events ... two crows to cover the skies, but what about the seas? Does Odin have fish servants?
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Is there a specific term in Norse mythology for Odin's self-sacrifice?
Norse mythology knows some terms for quite complex concepts, such as "Ragnarök". Is there a term for Odin's nine-day self-sacrifice?
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Why is Odin called the Wanderer?
On the Wikipedia page, under a depiction of Odin is a caption. The caption calls Odin the Wanderer, gives the year made and artist. It is mention again at the end, saying J.R.R. Tolkien used Odin's ...
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Did Yggdrassil exist before the world's creation
In the cosmos creation myth, Ymir is born from the clash of ice and fire that comes from Muspelheim and Niflheim. When Odin and his brothers kill Ymir and create the world using his body it sounds ...
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Is Odin Thor's father?
Before you automatically downvote this question, I highly suggest reading this article: Thor vs. Odin.
The article background covers the relationship of Thor and Odin, and reveals that things are not ...
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Books analysing Norse mythology (specifically Odin)?
What I am looking for is not a collection of stories and myths per se, but something more general like an analysis/dissection or meta discussion of the myth of Odin and Norse mythology in general. ...
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How is Hermes linked to Odin?
The Wikipedia article on Hermes says Odin is his Norse equivalent.
Can anyone expand on that?
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Fenrir vs Odin. Did he die?
I read that Fenrir killed or devoured Odin and he was dead. Is that true or false? Also, if it’s true, how does he come back to life? Is it him resurrecting himself or other gods doing the work?
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Hugin and Muninn in runes
Is there a way to write the names "Hugin" and "Muninn" in Norse runes? Are there differences in the meaning of each ("memory" and "thought")?
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Meaning and usage of Grimnir?
Interest in this epithet of Odin's was renewed when it was casually tossed out in a recent episode of American Gods. *
My question has three parts:
What is the meaning of Grimnir? I found this ...
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Why did Brynhild disobey Odin?
When Sigurd wakes up Brynhild, we learn that her imprisonment was the result of her defiance to Odin's command:
Then Brynhild speaks again and says, "Two kings fought, one hight Helm Gunnar, an ...
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Why is Odin called the Allfather?
He is the father of many gods, but certainly not all, and he is not the creator of the Norse universe.
Is this epithet merely an honorific, referencing Odin's status as patriarch, or are there other ...
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Why did Odin forsake Sigmund?
In the first ten chapters of the of the Saga of the Volsungs, Odin strongly favors the eponymous clan. In chapter 11, however, the Allfather sides with King Lyngi and attacks Sigmund, shattering the ...
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Did Odin heal Sinfjotli?
In chapter 8 of the Saga of the Völsungs, Sigmund (in wolf form) attacks and almost kills his son Sinfjotli (also in wolf form). Sinfjotli is only saved when Sigmund is pointed to a miraculous herb by ...
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Why does Odin favour Sigi at the beginning of the Saga of the Völsungs?
In the beginning of the Saga of the Völsungs, we learn of the senseless murder of the thrall Bredi at the hands of Sigi. Although Sigi is condemned and declared a "wolf in holy places" (an ...
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Why is the story of Odin hanging from Yggdrasil so similar to that of Jesus on the cross?
I hope this actually has an answer, I couldn't find anything but speculation on the web.
Basically, the story of Odin hanging from Yggdrasil is very similar to that of Jesus on the cross. Here are ...
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Did Odin Have A Relationship With Freya?
Some scholars hypothesize that both Frigg and Freyja may have their origin in a Common Germanic goddess. There is no firm evidence for this, but scholars have found some similarities both in their ...
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What's The Best Source On Odin and Freya?
I would like to delve in Norse Mythology, but there is an extreme difference between the versions of it I come upon. I am most fascinated with the idea, that the Goddesses of Freya and Frigg are one ...
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Did Frigg cheat on Odin?
I read a story where Odin gave all his possessions to his brother Villi and Ve and made them the rulers of the Universe. One of Odin's possessions is his wife, Frigg. Hence, while Odin is away, his ...
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How often were Odin and Loki allied?
In their answer to my question about Odin and Loki being blood brothers, chaimedes quotes a footnote in Henry Adams Bellows' translation of the Poetic Edda that claims Odin and Loki were "often allied ...
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When did Odin and Loki became blood brothers?
In the beginning of the Lokasenna, Bragi denies Loki a seat with the gods. However, Loki reminds Odin that the two of them had their "blood mixed", and that Odin had promised that neither of them ...
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Does Odin choose who enters Valhalla?
Ero Sɘnnin's answer in How was it decided which warriors would go to Fólkvangr and which to Valhalla? seems to suggest that Odin gets to choose who enters Valhalla:
Valhalla is presided over by ...
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Is Odin the only being who gained knowledge of the runes?
In order to learn the secrets of the runes (symbols of some of the most powerful forces in the cosmos), Odin hangs himself from Yggdrasil, pierces himself with his own spear, and peers downward to the ...
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Why was Odin afraid that his ravens would not return back to him?
Odin's ravens would continuously fly all over Midgard to collect information and bring it back to Odin.
In Norse mythology, Huginn (from Old Norse "thought") and Muninn
(Old Norse "...
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What did Mimir do with Odin's eye?
Odin is known to be one-eyed because of a trade between Mimir and Odin. When Odin asked Mimir for some water in the well, Mimir declined him of giving any water unless Odin gave him an eye. ...
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