Gjallarbrú

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Gjallarbrú (literally "Gjöll Bridge") is a bridge in Norse mythology which spans the river Gjöll in the underworld. It must be crossed in order to reach Hel.

Norse mythology body of mythology of the North Germanic people stemming from Norse paganism and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia and into the Scandinavian folklore of the modern period

Norse mythology is the body of myths of the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Norse paganism and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia, and into the Scandinavian folklore of the modern period. The northernmost extension of Germanic mythology, Norse mythology consists of tales of various deities, beings, and heroes derived from numerous sources from both before and after the pagan period, including medieval manuscripts, archaeological representations, and folk tradition.

Gjöll is the river that separates the living from the dead in Norse mythology. It is one of the eleven rivers traditionally associated with the Élivágar, rivers that existed in Ginnungagap at the beginning of the world.

Underworld mythological concept

The underworld is the world of the dead in various religious traditions, located below the world of the living. Chthonic is the technical adjective for things of the underworld.

According to Gylfaginning it is described as a covered bridge, "thatched with glittering gold". It figures most prominently in the story of Baldr, specifically when Hermód is sent to retrieve the fallen god from the land of the dead. When Hermód arrived at the bridge he was challenged by the giant maiden Módgud who demanded that he state his name and business before allowing him to pass. [1]

<i>Gylfaginning</i>

Gylfaginning, is the first part of Snorri Sturluson's 13th century Prose Edda after Prologue. The Gylfaginning deals with the creation and destruction of the world of the Norse gods, and many other aspects of Norse mythology. The second part of the Prose Edda is called the Skáldskaparmál and the third Háttatal.

Baldr Norse deity

Baldr is a god in Norse mythology, and a son of the god Odin and the goddess Frigg. He has numerous brothers, such as Thor and Váli.

Æsir principal pantheon in Norse mythology

In Old Norse, ǫ́ss is a member of the principal pantheon in Norse religion. This pantheon includes Odin, Frigg, Thor, Baldr and Týr. The second pantheon is known as the Vanir. In Norse mythology, the two pantheons wage war against each other, which results in a unified pantheon.

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Bifröst burning rainbow bridge that reaches between Midgard (the world) and Asgard, the realm of the gods

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Hel (location) fictional location

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Hermóðr Norse deity

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Himinbjörg fictional location

In Norse mythology, Himinbjörg is the home of the god Heimdallr. Himinbjörg is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda and Heimskringla, both written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. Himinbjörg is associated with Heimdallr in all sources. According to the Poetic Edda, Heimdallr dwells there as watchman for the gods and there drinks fine mead, whereas in the Prose Edda Himinbjörg is detailed as located where the burning rainbow bridge Bifröst meets heaven. Scholars have commented on the differences between the two attestations and linked the name of the mythical location to various place names.

Eggthér

In Norse mythology, Eggthér is a giant and herdsman who is described as sitting on a mound and joyfully playing his harp while the red rooster Fjalar begins to crow, heralding the onset of Ragnarök.

Hermod is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is based on the Hermóðr of Norse myth.

In Norse mythology, Móðguðr refers to the female guardian of the bridge over the river Gjöll ("Noisy"), Gjallarbrú. She allowed the newly dead to use the bridge to cross from one side of the river Gjöll to the other if the soul stated his or her name and business, and possibly in turn prevented the dead beyond the river from crossing back over Gjöll into the lands of the living.

In Norse mythology, Iði was a giant and a son of Alvaldi along with his brothers Þjazi and Gangr. According to Skáldskaparmál, Alvaldi was very rich in gold, and when he died his three sons divided his inheritance among themselves, measuring it out by each in turn taking a mouthful. For this reason the expressions "speech of Þjazi, Gangr or Iði" and "Iði's shining talk" are kennings for gold.

In Norse mythology, Gangr or Gang was a giant and a son of Ölvaldi, along with his brothers Þjazi and Iði. According to Skáldskaparmál, Ölvaldi was very rich in gold, and when he died his three sons divided his inheritance among themselves, measuring it out by each in turn taking a mouthful. For this reason the expressions "speech of Þjazi, Gangr or Iði" and "Iði's shining talk" are kennings for gold.

Kerlaugar

In Norse mythology, the Kerlaugar i.e. "bath-tub", are two rivers through which the god Thor wades. The Kerlaugar are attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional material, and in a citation of the same verse in the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson.

References

  1. Norse Mythology: A Guide to Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs (John Lindow, author. Oxford University Press, 2002, page 142)]

Other sources

Henry Adams Bellows (businessman) American businessman and historian

Henry Adams Bellows was a newspaper editor and radio executive who was an early member of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. He is also known for his translation of the Poetic Edda for The American-Scandinavian Foundation.

Andrew Philip McDowell "Andy" Orchard, FRSC, FBA is a British academic in Old English, Norse and Celtic literature. He is Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at the University of Oxford and a fellow of Pembroke College, Oxford. He was previously Provost of Trinity College, Toronto, from 2007 to 2013.

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