The universe of Norse mythology is so rich with exciting history and legends. It is sometimes difficult to choose the topic one wants to address because there are so many. Most of these stories and legends are quite familiar to the general public thanks to increasingly popular Nordic literature and blockbuster films as well as TV shows that have become a real craze in recent years.
All creatures, all characters, all places, and all events of Norse mythology have their origin, and there are many origin and character development stories that describe each tale in detail.
However, the lesser-known stories usually concern lesser-known characters and worlds of the Norse universe. The whole Norse cosmology consists of nine realms, and for us humans, the most exciting is the human realm known as Midgard (Miðgarðr in Old Norse).
People interested in Norse mythology are well aware that the more they read and learn about the subject, the more addicted they become. The entire mythology revolves around mystical beings, magic, incredible creatures, battles, diverse worlds, and grand events.
Who doesn't want to know more about this exceptional fantastic universe?
THE CREATION OF MIDGARD
The first beings created by unknown forces were Audhumla (in Old Norse Auðumla) - the cow, and Aurgelmir (Ymir) - the giant. There is no written explanation about the details of the following events. But at some point, Audhumla gave birth to the ancestor of all the gods - Buri.
Now, this is the fun part and also the most What the fuck!
The elder god Buri had a son Borr, but there are no details available on how Buri had a son and with whom. Later, Borr had three sons with the giantess Bestla - Vé, Vili, and Odin. While the creation of the first gods was underway, Aurgelmir himself gave birth to one of the first giants.
According to the legends, Odin, Vé, and Vili killed Ymir and threw his body into the void of the universe. This is how Midgard was created.
It is said that Ymir's blood turned into oceans and that his flesh created the earth. The mountains grew from his bones, and his teeth formed the cliffs. His hair created the trees while his brain makes up the clouds (scattered across the Earth).
Legends also say that the four dwarves hold Ymir's skull - Nordri, Austri, Vestri, and Sudri (representing the four sides of the world). All the stars, including the Sun and the Moon, were created from the fragments and sparks of Ymir's skull.
That is not all since it is at this moment that the dawn of the first humans began.
According to the Poetic Edda, grandfather Odin and his two brothers then created humans from the ash and the elm. The first man Ask (Old Norse Askr) was created from the ash, and the first woman Embla (Old Norse Almr) was born from the elm.
The three gods wanted to protect the realm of men from the giants, so they built a barrier around the world of men from Ymir's eyebrows.
Midgard is located between Muspelheim and Niflheim, but it is also connected to Asgard by the rainbow bridge called Bifrost.
THE NINE REALMS IN NORSE COSMOLOGY
The cosmos of Norse mythology is very vast and consists of nine different realms. The Scandinavians believed that the realms have a tricentric structure and that they are formed vertically. Moreover, between all the levels, there was a vast space.
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The basic structure of the levels is the tree of life, called Yggdrasil (in Old Norse Mímameiðr). Yggdrasil is a tree with no known origin, and it exists outside of time, and therefore, it will also survive Ragnarök. The nine realms are spread across different levels of the tree, residing in its roots, branches, and crown.
The first-level realms:
- Asgard (Old Norse Ásgarðr) is the realm of the Aesir (Old Norse Æsir).
- Vanaheim (Old Norse Vanaheimr) which is known as "the home of the Vanir."
- Alfheim (Old Norse Álfheimr) is also known as the "Home of the Light Elves."
The second-level realms:
- Midgard (Old Norse Miðgarðr) is the realm of humans (garden/middle earth).
- Jotunheim (Old Norse Jötunheimr) is the world of giants (Old Norse Jötunn).
- Nidavellir (Old Norse Niðavellir) / Svartalfheim (Old Norse Svartálfaheimr) is the land of dwarves and dark elves.
The third-level realms:
- Hel (Old Norse Helheimr) is the realm of the dead.
- Niflheim (Old Norse Niflheimr) is the realm of fog, ice, mist, and cold.
- Muspelheim (Old Norse Múspellsheimr) is the realm of fire and chaos.
THE LINK BETWEEN ASGARD AND MIDGARD
The Bifrost (in Old Norse Bifröst) is a direct connection between the realms of Asgard and Midgard. The Bifrost is a rainbow bridge, and according to the Prose Edda, it extends from the realm of men up to the sky at Himinbjörg, which is the home of Heimdallr, the guardian of the Bifrost bridge.
If you have seen the Marvel Thor movies, then you have a good image of what the Bifrost is.
MIDGARD HAS MANY NAMES
Midgard is known by many names in many languages and across various civilizations. "The home of men" or Mannaheim, which is another known name for this realm. For example, the extinct Germanic language Gothic used a term Midjun-gards which means "middle enclosure", which is also another name for Middle-earth.
There are also many variants of the name Midgard in other languages, such as Mittilagart (Old High German), Middangeard in Old English which is now known as Middle-earth, and as Middilgard which was mentioned in the old Saxon epic poem Heliand.
THE PROTECTOR OF THE REALM OF HUMANS
Thor, son of the father of fathers Odin, is the protector of the realm of humans and the realm of the Aesir. The god of thunder is also called "the defender of Midgard and Asgard".
But that's not all!
Thor travels between the realms using the Bifrost bridge. Although Thor protects both worlds, that of humans and that of Asgard, the gates of Asgard are securely guarded by Heimdallr. Heimdallr is Asgard's first line of defense, while Thor is its last defense.
Beyond the gates of Asgard and up to the realm of humans, Thor protects humans from the Jötunns. Even though the mighty god Thor ensures the safety of both worlds, the god of gods Odin watches carefully over the realm of humans with the help of his two faithful ravens.
THE MIDGÅRD SERPENT
A vast and impassable ocean surrounds the realm of humans, and a powerful creature dwells in the ocean - the Midgard serpent Jormungand (in Old Norse Jörmungandr). This ocean dweller is so enormous that it encircles the entire human world, its head reaching its tail. It then forms a magnificent Ouroboros, the symbol of the infinite and the eternal. The mighty serpent Jormungand has two siblings - Fenrir and Hel.
According to the Prose Edda, Midgard will be destroyed during Ragnarök. It is said that Jormungand will emerge from the ocean and poison the sea and the land with its powerful venom. Moreover, the Midgard serpent will raise the sea and cause it to crash onto the land.
More importantly, the fire giant Surtr (in Old Norse "The Black") will end all existence in the realm of men by setting it ablaze. The final and ultimate battle will take place on the plane Óskópnir (also known as Vígríðr), leading to the destruction of the human realm and all the life it contains, while the earth will sink into the sea.
However, it is said that the earth will rise once again, but this time even greener and more fertile. The cycle of creation will repeat, and life will begin anew.
THE POPULARITY OF MIDGARD IN BOOKS AND FILMS
In recent history, Midgard, better known as Middle-earth, has inspired many writers of the high epic fantasy genre, who imagined incredible stories, exceptional characters, and epic events. Among the best examples are the high epic fantasy stories written by J.R.R. Tolkien, such as "The Hobbit," "The Lord of the Rings," "The Peoples of Middle-earth," and many others.
The popularity of these books was such that it became a solid foundation to recreate the stories in the form of successful big screen movies. All these films helped improve people's perception of Middle-earth and its inhabitants.
If you like reading stories about trolls, dragons, wizards, elves, dwarves, and all the other creatures of Middle-earth, these stories are made for you.
Who doesn't love a good epic fantasy story with wizards and dragons?
Moreover, Marvel Comics and the Marvel movies have given us another perspective of the entire Norse universe and all its realms, including the realm of humans. These movies have given us a more accurate insight into how Norse mythology and the entire Norse cosmos were imagined.
MIDGARD AND ODIN'S HALL
The creation of the realm of men is the essential decision that Odin and his two brothers made concerning ordinary people. Thanks to them, humans, of which you are a part, exist today. Say thank you to them!
Thank you for reading me, it is a pleasure to write for Odin's Hall, the reference brand in accessories inspired by Norse mythology.
You can visit our collections of Viking jewelry to remind you every day of the legends of Norse mythology.
You can also continue your reading by discovering Adsgard, the city of the gods for example.
