A.K.A. Teutonic Mythology - Nordic Mythology - Scandinavian Mythology - Norse Myths - Myths of the Vikings -  Legends of the Aesir and the Jötung

Howard David Johnson has Seven different galleries devoted to myths and legends of the Old World

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"The Epic of Beowulf"

 "On my Honor" Featuring the Legendary Norse hero, Beowulf. (or Bjolfr in Icelandic)

  "The Epic of Beowulf " is easily the most precious relic of Old English and of all early Germanic Literature. It has come down to us intact and well preserved in a manuscript dated ca. 1000 A.D. and is in the British Museum in London today.

The Subject of the Poem is the exploits of the Viking Warrior Beowulf, son of Egtheow and nephew of Hygelac, King of the Geatas, which Scandanavian records tell us resided in Gautar, in southern Sweden.

Beowulf and 14 companions sailed to Denmark to pledge his protection to Hrothgar, King of the Danes, whose hall (called Heorot and pictured to the left) has been rendered uninhabitable by the ravages of a devouring monster in human form named Grendel, (Grinder) who dwelt in the wastelands and under cover of night forced entrance to the hall and slaughtered the inhabitants. The Danes retired to safety while Beowulf and his fellows feasted in the hall and waited to face Grendel alone. Beowulf tore his arm from his shoulder, mortally wounding him and tracked him to the lair of his mother the Sea Hag and slew her as well after she had retaliated  for Grendel's death. Richly rewarded by the king he returned home to a throne of his own and ruled prosperously for 50 years until he did battle with a ferocious and terrifying fire breathing Dragon. He overcame it but suffered a mortal wound in the struggle. Amid great lamentation he was placed on a great funeral pyre and burned and the Dragon's treasure was buried along with his ashes.

      ~  Some key sources include: R.P. Wilker; Grundriss der Angelsachsischen Litteratur (1882) and Beowulf, Untersuchungen uber das Angelsachsische Epos (1889) G.Sarrazin Beowulf-studien (1888) R.W. Chambers, Beowulf, An introduction to the Poem (1921)

"The Ring Cycle"

"Whosoever will renounce love and make a ring from the gold will rule the world."

    The enormously popular "Lord of the Rings" is largely based on the 13th century Nibelungenlied saga from a Middle High German epic poem. It also draws upon the varying folklore of Northern Europe. Odin was the Scandinavian father god and his favorite mortal  was Siegfried (or Sigurd in the Volsunga Saga from Iceland) and is the chief hero and Dragon Slayer of all Norse Mythology.

   Due to the oral traditions of the Nordic Tribes before the coming of a standard written language several versions still exist of the same stories. In one version, Siegfried is the prince of the Netherlands who acquires the treasure of the Nibelungs by killing it's quarrelsome custodians in a cavern. He visits the court of Queen Brünhild of Iceland, who has vowed only to marry a man that can best her. Siegfried bests her by trickery, then infuriates her by departing without marrying her.  An epic tale of heroism and treachery, romance and revenge, The Ring of the Nibelung or The Nibelungenlied has entertained listeners and readers for centuries. 

    It is best known to modern audiences as the source for The Ring Cycle - a series of four operas in the 1860's by Richard Wagner;   "Die Nibelungenlied" or The song of the Nibelung: The Rhiengold, The Valkyrie, Sigfried, and The Twilight of the gods. "The Ride of the Valkyries", Opera prelude has always been an inspiration to me and remains one of my favorites. 

"Valkyrie Maiden" (MMX version mixed media)

  Here in "Valkyrie Maiden" ( above right) We see a Valkyrie approaching a battlefield to claim the valiant dead and take them to Valhalla, the home of the Norse gods to commune with Odin, Thor and other noteables of the pantheon...

"Kreimhilde's Revenge" the MVI version (Mixed Media)

    In the Wagnerian Opera version, Siegfried fell passionately in love with Brünhilde, who was Odin's daughter and captain

of the Valkyries.  Unlike the Greek & Roman myths, these Norse myths vary drastically in details, names, and spellings depending on their country of origin due to the use of oral tradition rather than written language. 

     The Silent films "Seigfreid" and Kreimhild's Revenge" from the German expressionist cinema movement are still amazing works of art and highly enjoyable to watch today. I was astonished when I first saw them how different the story was than the one I was familiar with. They influenced me a great deal but not as much as the Wagnerian version I met through the illustrations of the great Arthur Rackham. His work has influenced me more than any other.

   The same early legends and semi- historical accounts gave birth to all the different variations. These diverse orators hailed from  the British Isles, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Switzerland, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Iceland, Holland, Denmark, Russia, Finland, and even Flemish-speaking communities in Italy and France as well as faraway lands such as America and Africa due to wide-spread migration.

      As Valfrya, she also rode to the battlefield in her chariot, there to claim the slain. These she feasted in her great banqueting hall while Odin, chief god of the Aesir, transported all the others to Valhalla. She controlled the golden apples at the top of the world which were the secret of the immortality of the gods. When she was captured by Fafnir and Fasolt the Jötung and held hostage in demand for the Ring of the Nibelung her abscence caused the gods to begin to grow old and die; to fade into legend. "The Twilight of the gods".

      She was married to Odur the god of sunshine, but he left her to roam in distant lands. She followed him, weeping teardrops that changed to gold in the rocks and amber in the sea. In later mythology, Freyja is often confused with Frigg, Odin's wife.

"Tales of Asgard"

THE PROTECTORS OF THE EARTH

 Introducing: A new series of illustrations called "Tales of Asgard" based on the prose and poetic Edda featuring the legends of the Aesir, heathen gods of the icy northlands.

   The first of which is "The Giant Killers" featuring the All-father, Odin, [far right] the father of victory and the king of the Norse pantheon. He is also associated with war, Cunning, trickery, magic and poetry among many other things. He is shown with his magical spear Gungir fashioned by the dwarfs shouldered and accompanied by his pet wolves and Ravens. Odin had 200 other names including The Old High German "Woten" [Wooten's Day AKA Wednesday] upon whom the legend of Santa Claus is based.

   His son Thor, the god of thunder Old High German Donar- from whom Thor's day AKA Thursday is named is shown with his mighty hammer Mjolnir. Also accompanying them is Loki, half-giant [Jotunn] and half-Aesir. Loki's parentage has been the subject of scholarly debate for centuries. He was the god of fire and mischief and father of Hel and Fenrir the Wolf. [far left]. The All-father and his companions are shown here on horseback in the snowy mountains of Jotunheimr, one of the nine worlds of Nordic cosmology on an expedition hunting for their mortal enemies, the Frost Giants.

The greatest souls of women warriors, and those strong and beautiful women whom Odin favored, became the Valkyries.

 "The Dragon Níđhöggr" (nēd'hśg-arr) is the second illustration based on the prose and poetic Edda of Norse mythology, compiled and written in the 13th century from surviving traditional sources by Snorri Sturluson.  Here the serpent is shown in an icy subterranean cavern roaring in defiance before returning to gnawing at the root of the world tree, named Yggdrasill.  In Norse myth, Nidhoggr or"the tearer of corpses" is a gigantic and monstrous serpent-like creature that gnaws continually and persistently at the deepest root of the World Tree, threatening to destroy it. The serpent is always bickering with the eagle that resides near the highest part of the tree. Nidhoggr lies on Nastrond in Miflhiem and eats corpses to sustain itself. It is not the only serpent whose mission it is to destroy the World Tree; the other dragons include Grafvolluth, Graback, Goin and Moin.

   Yggdrasill (Old Norse: Ig-ID-rass-il). The immense world tree is at the very center and heart of Norse cosmology; and surrounding the tree are nine worlds. The gigantic ash tree is extremely sacred. The gods go to Yggdrasil daily to hold court. The branches of Yggdrasil reach up into the heavens, and the tree is fed by three roots that extend far away; one to the well Urđarbrunnr, one to the spring Hvergelmir, and another to the well Mímisbrunnr. Many creatures live within Yggdrasil, including the wyrm (dragon) Níđhöggr, Odin's mystical eagle, and the stags Duraţrór, Dáinn, Dvalinn, and Duneyrr .

"The Dragon Níđhöggr" MMXI

~Look for several more new illustrations from the Nordic mythos in 2011!

Thor and the Fire Trolls MM (mixed media)

       The Mighty Thor, shown here as a very young man, was known primarily as the thunder god was also the Norse god of war and agriculture.  he was among the great gods of the Aesir, Mighty Thor was second only to Odin, his father. His mother was Fiörgyn, and Loki, his half-brother, was a frequent companion on his adventures. His name is the Teutonic word for thunder, outside the Teutonic areas, he has close affinities with Jupiter or Zeus. He was worshipped as Thunor, or Thonar in ancient England. His hammer, also created by the dwarfs, was aptly called Mjölnir (crusher ) was as destructive as the thunderbolts of Zeus in punishing wrongdoers.  It was the most potent weapon against the Frost Giants, Fire Trolls and other enemies. When Thor hurled it, it returned to his hand after hitting it's target. When Thor put on his magic belt his already enormous strength was doubled. The creators of these marvels, the Dwarfs were a class of clever supernatural beings not unlike elves and fairies, noted for skill at metalworking and serving the gods.         Thor, is for whom Thursday or Thor's day was originally named. He was apparently more widely worshipped more than any other god by the ancient Norsemen. The evolution of the popular Thor Mythology continues to this day in comic books, video games, and  motion pictures.

THE REVENGE OF KRIEMHILDE:

  The Lady Kriemhilde (A.K.A. Grimhild, Hild, Brünhild) Her name means ‘armored warrior woman’ and the English word Grim derives from her name too. In her earliest legends she was originally a daemonic mythical figure representing darkness and death.

Like the legendary King Arthur, she was also a historical figure, wife of Attila the Hun and sister of Gunther. (453 A.D.) She marries Attila in one reliable historical account and kills him in revenge for the death of her former husband on their wedding night.

I have illustrated her here in the 13th century Middle High German mythic version preparing to confront her cowardly brothers with her dead husband’s shield and sword, demanding action! Siegfried was the Nordic people’s greatest hero and chief dragonslayer his story is similar to The Iliad and the Odessey of the Greeks. In another version she demands revenge for her murdered father. She is depicted here as the heroine of the The Nibelungenlied, greatest epic of Teutonic Mythology.