Odin or, depending upon the dialect Woden or Wotan, was the Father of all the Gods and men. Odin is pictured either wearing a winged helm or a floppy hat, and a blue-grey cloak. He can travel to any realm within the 9 Nordic worlds. His two ravens, Huginn and Munin (Thought and Memory) fly over the world daily and return to tell him everything that has happened in Midgard. He is a God of magick, wisdom, wit, and learning. In later times, he was associated with war and bloodshed from the Viking perspective, although in earlier times, no such association was present. If anything, the wars fought by Odin exist strictly upon the Mental plane of awareness; appropriate for that of such a mentally polarized God. He is both the shaper of Wyrd and the bender of Orlog; again, a task only possible through the power of Mental thought and impress. It is he who sacrifices an eye at the well of Mimir to gain inner wisdom, and later hangs himself upon the World Tree Yggdrasil to gain the knowledge and power of the Runes. All of his actions are related to knowledge, wisdom, and the dissemination of ideas and concepts to help Mankind.
Odin can make the dead speak in order to question the wisest amongst them. His hall in Asgard is Valaskjalf (“shelf of the slain”) where his throne Hlidskjalf is located. From this throne he observes all that happens in the nine worlds. He also resides in Valhalla, where the slain warriors are taken.
Odin’s attributes are the spear Gungnir, which never misses its target, the ring Draupnir, from which every ninth night eight new rings appear, and his eight-footed steed Sleipnir. He is accompanied by the wolves Freki and Geri, to whom he gives his food for he himself consumes nothing but wine. Odin has only one eye, which blazes like the sun. His other eye he traded for a drink from the Well of Wisdom, and gained immense knowledge. On the day of the final battle, Odin will be killed by the wolf Fenrir.
Just as a point of curiosity: in no other pantheon is the head Deity also the God of Thought and Logic. It’s interesting to note that the Norse people set such a great importance upon logic. The day Wednesday (Wodensdaeg) is named for him.
12 Comments
This was very helpful for my project! Thank You! : )
Very cool site, I was listening to a college lecture on Norse mythology and As well as Wednesday for Oden, Thursday is for Thor.
and Friday is for FREYA….the goddess FREYA
Actually friday is FRIGG NOT FREYA
and Tyr is tuesday
And Sunday is for the Sons, Monday is for the Moon,
This information was very helpful. I am trying to learn as much as I can about the Vikings and their gods in order
to complete my website Viking Source. The information on Odin will help me understand enough to start my page on him. Thanks.
It’s partially touched upon but largely overlooked that in later times when he became associated with battle and war Odin was also termed “Oath-breaker” Although largely there is no reason found in the myths for the name a lot of scholars believe this is a result of Odin being the patron deity of the berserkers. Given that many Berserkers were able to continue fighting with their characteristic ferocity despite grievous wounds until the battle was over and the shock set in and killed them it’s a plausible explanation for this name. A Berserker would pray to Odin for protection and guidance, make their sacrifices and go into battle, often doing more damage than any normal man on the battlefield, The amount of adrenalin and endorphins pumping through their bodies making them nearly unstoppable until the battle was over and the bodies chemicals receded leaving them to feel the pain and damage of their wounds, in their mind Odin abandoned these people who were loyal followers hence he “broke” the oath of the gods to watch over men..
his wolves who he feeds all food to except the the honey beer from which their nurishment is provided not diminishing info just helping
Thanks. This was WAY more help than Wikipedia. Even though I just wanted to know what Greek god Odin represented for fun, this was a lot of help!
That aint how ya spell magic
Lulu: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magick