God Loki: the image of Scandinavian mythology

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

God Loki has been one of the most popular mythical creatures of Norse mythology for many centuries. He was made a character in many books, music, movies and even computer games. At the same time, the characteristics of this deity have many controversial interpretations among researchers and mythologists. The main data about Loki are contained in such works as the "Younger Edda" and "Elder Edda", written by the Icelandic writer Snorri Sturluson in the 11th century in the form of textbooks on skaldic poetry.

Essence and origin

Loki is the Scandinavian god of fire, deceit and cunning. Snorri also gave a description of the deity's appearance: he is handsome, short, thin, and his hair has a fiery red color. His distinguishing features are a sharp mind, deceit, resourcefulness, cunning and duplicity, as well as the ability to change appearance. Thanks to these qualities, the Ases allowed the Jotun to live in Asgar. This god also has several other names: Lodur, Loft and Hvedrung.

Regarding the origin of Loki, it is believed that Jotun Farbauti was his father, andmother - Lauvey (another name - Nal). Although, according to some other researchers, Loki existed even before Odin, because his father was the giant Ymir, the air Kari and the water Khler were brothers, and the goddess Ran was a sister. And only later, the god of fire and deceit entered the triad of demiurges along with Odin and Khenir. Despite the fact that in the modern interpretation of Scandinavian mythology, various sources indicate that Thor and Loki are antipodes, in the same Snorri Sturluson, Odin is the twin god of deceit, but at the same time his opposite. But the god of thunder only occasionally kept the cunning deity company in certain situations.

Characteristic

Mythology reveals a very versatile cunning deity. God Loki possessed many necessary qualities, for which the aces endured his antics and turned a blind eye to many things. In many situations, he rescued other gods, but in most of these cases, they got into trouble precisely because of Loki, who saved his own skin or saw any benefit. The insidious god helped the aces, then the giants, and for a long time it suited them all, especially since at the beginning of his appearance in Asgard, Loki was good, as far as possible for the god of deceit, he helped the gods many times. Together with Odin, he participated in the creation of the world, together with other demiurges he breathed life into the wooden prototypes of people. He helped the gods obtain or return many treasures. However, later, becoming angrier and acquiring a more demonic essence, the god Loki earned the hatred of the aces, whom he constantly quarreled betweenhimself and became the embodiment of all troubles, up to Ragnarok. This deity has become an analogue of Lucifer in Scandinavian mythology.

Self-interest

In the adventure, together with Odin and Hernir, described in the "Younger Edda", the god Loki hit Tiazzi, who turned into an eagle and tried to take the best pieces of food prepared by the Ases, but stuck to the giant, who took him to his lair. Tiazzi promised to release Loki in exchange for Idunn and her rejuvenating apples, and he, thanks to his cunning and deceit, led the goddess to the giant. But aces without apples began to grow old and forced Loki to return Idunn. Turning into a falcon, the culprit was able to return the goddess to Asgard, and the other gods killed Tiatia the eagle who flew in after her. This case perfectly demonstrates that Loki, for the most part, did any actions only on the basis of his own benefit or the threat to his life.

Adventures with Thor

But still, the insidious god had such deeds that can be called disinterested. Only thanks to his mind, resourcefulness and cunning, the god of thunder was able to return his legendary hammer Mjollnir. Thor and Loki went to the lair of the etun Thrym, who stole the legendary weapon, disguised as his bride and her maid. The sly one persuaded the giant to show his bride a great hammer, and when Thrym showed Mjollnir, Thor managed to grab the hilt and defeat the kidnapper.

But these two gods also had such adventures in which Loki set up his companion. To save his life, the born Jotun brought Thor directly to the lair of the giant Geirrod,the Thunderer was only able to escape thanks to the kind Grid.

Legacy

Like many deities from various pantheons, Loki also has a peculiar heritage. It is believed that initially he was not evil, being the spirit of life. Together with his wife Glut (shine), the fire god Loki was considered a symbol of the hearth. From his first marriage he had two children - Enmira and Eiza. However, the further, the more Loki became embittered and demonized. His second wife was the giantess Angrboda, their secret marriage in the Iron Forest of Jotunheim was forbidden by Odin, who became even more angry when he learned about the birth of three monster children: the red-blue Hel, the terrible wolf Fenrir and the huge serpent Jörmungand. Odin threw Hel into Niflheim, where she became the goddess of death, Jörmungand sent to the bottom of the sea, where he became the World Serpent, but Fenrir was initially taken to Asgard, where he tried to put him on a chain, but none of them could keep the mighty wolf, and as a result he was thrown into the underworld.

God Loki also gave birth to the legendary eight stallion Odin Sleipnir. Using his ability, he turned into a mare to distract the horse Svadilfari, thanks to which the jotun-mason promised the aces to build Asgard in record time, and the gods did not want to pay his bills. The third and last wife of Loki was Sigyn, who bore him two sons: Vali and Narvi (or Ali and Nari).

Wrath of the gods

At a feast at Aegir (sea giant), the god Loki impartially denounced the aces in their shortcomings and confessed to the murder of Baldur, sonOdin. For the gods, this was the last straw. They seized the villain and both of his sons, turned Vali into a wolf who tore his brother to pieces, and tied Loki to three stones with the bowels of Narvi, and hung a snake over his head, the poison of which was supposed to drip onto the face of the offending deity and bring him hellish torment. Sigyn held a bowl in which she collected poison so that it would not fall on her husband's face. But when it overflowed and it was necessary to empty it, drops fell on Loki's face, and the earth itself shook from his torment. And so on until Ragnarok itself, during which the god Loki fought against the aces.