Norse mythology. Dutch language.

Delve into the spectacular and magical mythology of the Old Norse religion. The reputation of the Vikings – the warriors who ravaged the lands of Western Europe – made them infamous, but many aspects of their religious beliefs have remained underexposed. Norse mythology has its roots in Proto-Germanic folklore, with some essential concepts even dating back to the Bronze Age – some 5,000 years ago. This book not only contextualizes the history and culture of the Vikings, but also explores in new and profound ways how the Nordic universe was constructed, beginning with the creation myth. This is followed by Yggdrasil, the world tree, with the nine realms of the universe surrounding it. This book talks about the importance of runes in the development of Norse paganism and about the forms of magic called galdr and seidr. Also very important is the idea that time is cyclical, characteristic of Viking culture: Ragnarok – the downfall of the gods, the end of the world and its rebirth. Modern retellings of aspects of Norse mythology have ensured that immortal figures such as Thor, the hammer-slinging, giant-slaying thunder god, and Odin, the wise all-father and king of the gods, remain iconic to this day, but the ancient stories of the oral The Viking tradition was revived in Scandinavia and Germany as early as the 19th century, and the formidable opera the Ring Cycle by composer Richard Wagner literally brought Viking culture into the spotlight in European culture at the end of the 1870s. This book brings these aspects together to form the complete guide to the spectacular mythology of Old Norse religion.

Author: Finn Moore
Co-author: None
Size: 225 x 280 mm
Language: Dutch
Number of pages 256
ISBN13: 9789463596640