A Valkyrie is waiting with two drinking horns at the gates of Valhalla on the Tjängvide image stone from Gotland, in the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities in Stockholm. A drinking horn was a Drinking vessel formerly common in some parts of the world and notably in Northern Europe. The Tjängvide image stone (G 110 is an Image stone which was discovered in 1844 on the farm of Tjängvide on Gotland, but it is presently located in the is a county, province and municipality of Sweden and the largest Island in the Baltic Sea. Swedish Museum of National Antiquities (known in Swedish as Historiska museet or more formally Statens historiska museum) is a Museum located ('stɔkhɔlm is Sweden 's Capital and its largest City. It is the site of the national Swedish government, the parliament, and the

In Norse mythology the valkyries (Old Norse Valkyrja "Choosers of the Slain") are dísir, minor female deities, who served Odin. Norse mythology comprises the indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and Legends of the Scandinavian peoples including those who settled on Iceland Old Norse is the North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age In Norse mythology, the dísir ("ladies" are fate goddesses who can be both benevolent and antagonistic towards mortal people and they include the Norns See also List of deities A deity is a Postulated Preternatural or Supernatural Being, who is always Odin (ˈoʊdɪn from Old Norse Óðinn) is considered the chief god in Norse paganism. The valkyries' purpose was to choose the most heroic of those who had died in battle and to carry them off to Valhalla where they became einherjar. See also Death in Norse paganism In Norse mythology, Valhalla (from Old Norse Valhöll "hall of the slain" is a majestic enormous In Norse religion, the Einherjar ( Old Norse "lone fighters" are spirits of warriors who had died bravely in battle. This was necessary because Odin needed warriors to fight at his side at the preordained battle at the end of the world, Ragnarök. In Norse mythology, Ragnarök (rɑgnɑrɔk Old Norse "Final destiny of the gods" refers to a series of major events including a great battle foretold In Valhalla the valkyries also “serve drink and look after the tableware and drinking vessels” (Prose Edda Gylfaginning 36). The Prose Edda, also known as the Younger Edda, Snorri's Edda ( Snorra Edda) or simply Edda, is an

It appears, however, that there was no clear distinction between the valkyries and the norns. The Norns ( Old Norse: norn, plural nornir) are a kind of Dísir, numerous female beings who rule the fates of the various races of Norse Skuld is for instance both a valkyrie and a norn, and in the Darraðarljóð (lines 1-52), the valkyries weave the web of war (see below). Skuld (possibly "debt" or "future" is a Norn in Norse mythology. Darraðarljóð is a Skaldic poem in Old Norse found in Njál's saga Chap According to the Prose Edda (Gylfaginning 36), “Odin sends the valkyries to every battle. The Prose Edda, also known as the Younger Edda, Snorri's Edda ( Snorra Edda) or simply Edda, is an They allot death to men and govern victory. Gunnr and Róta two valkyries and the youngest norn, called Skuld, always ride to choose who shall be slain and to govern the killings”.

Moreover, artistic licence permitted the name Valkyrie to be used for mortal women in Old Norse poetry, or to quote Snorri Sturluson's Skáldskaparmál on the various names used for women:

Woman is also metaphorically called by the names of the Asynjur or the Valkyrs or Norns or women of supernatural kind. Artistic license (also known as dramatic license, poetic license, narrative license, licentia poetica, or simply license) is a colloquial Old Norse poetry encompasses a range of verse forms written in Old Norse, during the period from the 8th century (see Eggjum stone) to as late as the far Snorri Sturluson (1178 – September 23, 1241) was an Icelandic historian poet and politician The second part of Snorri Sturluson 's Prose Edda the Skáldskaparmál or "language of poetry" (c In Norse mythology and Norse paganism, Asynjur are the goddesses including both Æsir and Vanir, and sometimes even giantesses who are married ^[1]

Etymology

The word "valkyrie" comes from the Old Norse valkyrja (pl. valkyrjar), from the words valr "the battle-slain" and kyrja "chooser" (from kørinn, korinn, the participe of the verb kjósa, "to choose");^[2] it therefore literally means "choosers of the slain". Old Norse is the North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age Plural is a Grammatical number, typically referring to more than one of the Referent in the real world ^[3] It is cognate to the Old English "wælcyrige". The modern German form "Walküre" appears in the first translations of the Poetic Edda (von der Hagen, 1812, Brothers Grimm, 1815, and Karl Joseph Simrock, 1851). The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. The Poetic Edda is a collection of Old Norse poems primarily preserved in the Icelandic mediaeval Manuscript Codex Regius. Friedrich Heinrich von der Hagen ( February 19, 1780 - June 11, 1856) was a German Philologist, chiefly distinguished for The Brothers Grimm ( German: Die Gebrüder Grimm) Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Karl Joseph Simrock ( August 28, 1802 &ndash July 18, 1876) was a German Poet and writer ^[4] These works provided part of the material used by Richard Wagner in his cycle The Ring of the Nibelung,^[5] which immortalized the term in the opera Die Walküre, whose lyrics were sketched in 1852-1853. Der Ring des Nibelungen ( The Ring of the Nibelung) is a cycle of four epic Music dramas by the German composer Die Walküre ( The Valkyrie) is the second of the four Operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen ( The Ring of the Nibelung ^[6]

Depictions

The Valkyrie's Vigil, by the Pre-Raphaelite painter Edward Robert Hughes. The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (also known as the Pre-Raphaelites) was a group of English painters Poets, and critics founded in 1848 by Edward Robert Hughes (1851-1914 is a well known English painter who worked in a style influenced by Pre-Raphaelitism and Aestheticism. Hughes down-plays the warrior aspect of the valkyrie, depicting instead a beautiful young woman in an ethereal dress. Her armor and weapons are present, but set aside and unused.

In modern art, the valkyries are sometimes depicted as beautiful shieldmaidens on winged horses, armed with helmets and spears. shieldmaiden was a Virgin who had chosen to fight as a warrior in Scandinavian folklore and mythology and they are often mentioned in Sagas such In Greek mythology, Pegasus ( Greek: Πήγασος, Pégasos, 'strong' was a winged horse that was the son of Poseidon, in his role However, valkyrie horse was a kenning for wolf (see Rök Stone), so contrary to the stereotype, they did not ride winged horses. A kenning ( Old Norse kenning, Modern Icelandic pronunciation) is a Circumlocution used instead of an ordinary Noun in Old Norse The grey wolf or gray wolf ( Canis lupus) also known as the timber wolf or simply wolf, is a Mammal of the order Carnivora The Rök Runestone ( Swedish: Rökstenen; Ög 136) is one of the most famous Runestones featuring the longest known runic inscription This would suggest that their mounts were rather the packs of wolves that frequented the corpses of dead warriors. They were gruesome and war-like.

Whereas the wolf was the valkyrie's mount, the valkyrie herself appears to be akin to the raven, flying over the battlefield and "choosing" corpses^[7]. Raven is the common name given to the largest species of Passerine Birds in the Genus Corvus. Thus, the packs of wolves and ravens that scavenged the aftermath of battles may have been seen as serving a higher purpose.

According to Thomas Bulfinch's highly influential work Bulfinch's Mythology (1855), the armour of the valkyries "sheds a strange flickering light, which flashes up over the northern skies, making what men call the 'Aurora Borealis', or 'Northern Lights'. Thomas Bulfinch ( July 15 1796 - May 27, 1867) was an American writer born in Newton Massachusetts. ^[8]" However, there is nothing in our sources which supports this claim^[9], except for the arrival of the Valkyries in Helgakviða Hundingsbana I:

Origins

Hildr, in a detail from the Stora Hammar stone, an image stone on Gotland. Hildr is a Valkyrie in Norse mythology. Hildr is attested in Snorri Sturluson 's Prose Edda as Högni's daughter and Hedin's wife in the Viking Age Image stone in Stora Hammars, Lärbro parish Gotland, Sweden ( is a county, province and municipality of Sweden and the largest Island in the Baltic Sea.

The origin of the valkyries as a whole is not reported in extant texts, but many of the well known valkyries are reported as having mortal parents. It is now believed that the original valkyries were the priestesses of Odin who officiated at sacrificial rites in which prisoners were executed (“given to Odin”). Odin (ˈoʊdɪn from Old Norse Óðinn) is considered the chief god in Norse paganism. These priestesses sometimes carried out the sacrifices themselves, which involved the use of a ritual spear. By the time the Poetic Edda came to be compiled in the late 12th or early 13th century, these rituals had given rise to legends of supernatural battle-maidens who took an active part in human conflict, deciding who should live and who should die (Davidson 1964). The Poetic Edda is a collection of Old Norse poems primarily preserved in the Icelandic mediaeval Manuscript Codex Regius.

In the mythological poems of the Poetic Edda the valkyries are supernatural deities of unknown parentage; they are described as battle-maidens who ride in the ranks of the gods or serve the drinks in Valhalla; they are invariably given unworldly names like Skǫgul (“Fight, Rage”), Hlǫkk (“Clash, Din of Battle”) and Gjǫll/Göll (“Battle Cry”). The Poetic Edda is a collection of Old Norse poems primarily preserved in the Icelandic mediaeval Manuscript Codex Regius. "). ^[13]

In the Heroic lays, however, the valkyries are described as bands of warrior-women only the leader of whom is ever named. The Poetic Edda is a collection of Old Norse poems primarily preserved in the Icelandic mediaeval Manuscript Codex Regius. She is invariably a human woman, the beautiful daughter of a great king, though she shares some of the supernatural abilities of her anonymous companions. In the first of the three Helgi Lays, Helgi Hjörvarðsson is accosted by a band of nine valkyries the leader of whom, Svava, is the daughter of a king called Eylimi. Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar ("Lay of Helgi Hjörvarðsson" is a poem collected in the Poetic Edda, found in the Codex Regius manuscript In the second and third lays, the valkyries are led by Sigrun, who is the daughter of King Hogni; she marries the hero Helgi Hundingsbani and bears him sons. Helgi Hundingsbane is a hero in Norse sagas Helgi appears in Volsunga saga and in two lays in the Poetic Edda named Helgakviða The most famous of the valkyries, Brynhildr, is also a human princess. Brynhildr is a Shieldmaiden and a Valkyrie in Norse mythology, where she appears as a main character in the Völsunga saga and some In the Sigrdrífumál (The Ballad of the Victory-Bringer) she is never named, being called simply Sigrdrífa (“Victory-Bringer”), and there are only hints that she is not a deity; what's more, we are told nothing of her parentage. Sigrdrífumál or Brynhildarljóð is one of the heroic poems of the Poetic Edda. In the corresponding passage in the Volsunga saga, however, she is identified as Brynhildr, the daughter of King Budli. The Völsunga saga is a Legendary saga, a late 13th century Icelandic prose rendition of the origin and decline of the Volsung clan Buðli or Budli is the name of one or two legendary kings from the Scandinavian Legendary sagas Ásmundar saga kappabana According (Sigrdrífa is also identified with Brynhildr in another heroic lay, Helreið Brynhildar, or Bryndhildr's Ride to Hel. Helreið Brynhildar or Brynhild's Hel -Ride is a short Old Norse poem that is found in the Poetic Edda. See also Death in Norse paganism In Norse mythology, Hel, the location shares a name with Hel, a female figure associated with the location )

Notable valkyries

Various individual valkyries are mentioned in works of Germanic literature.

Major valkyries

Illustration of Sigrdrífa on the Drävle Runestone. The Sigurd stones form a group of seven or eight Runestones and one Image stone that depict imagery from the legend of Sigurd the dragon slayer

Several valkyries appear as major characters in extant myths.

• Brynhildr appears in the Völsunga saga. Brynhildr is a Shieldmaiden and a Valkyrie in Norse mythology, where she appears as a main character in the Völsunga saga and some The Völsunga saga is a Legendary saga, a late 13th century Icelandic prose rendition of the origin and decline of the Volsung clan Her name means "Byrnie of battle. "
• Hildr appears in the legend of the Hjaðningavíg, which has survived in several sources. Hildr is a Valkyrie in Norse mythology. Hildr is attested in Snorri Sturluson 's Prose Edda as Högni's daughter and Hedin's wife in the Hjaðningavíg (the "battle of the Heodenings" the legend of Heðinn and Högni or the Saga of Hild is a Scandinavian legend from Norse Her name means "Battle. "
• Sigrdrífa appears in Sigrdrífumál. Sigrdrífa is Valkyrie in Norse mythology. She appears in Sigrdrífumál as the mentor of Sigurd ( Old Norse: Sigrdrífumál or Brynhildarljóð is one of the heroic poems of the Poetic Edda. Her name means "She who Drives Victory. "
• Sigrún appears in Helgakviða Hundingsbana I and Helgakviða Hundingsbana II. Sigrún ( Old Norse "victory rune " is a Valkyrie in Norse mythology. Völsungakviða, Helgakviða Hundingsbana I or the First Lay of Helgi Hundingsbane is an Old Norse poem found in the Völsungakviða in forna, Helgakviða Hundingsbana II or the Second Lay of Helgi Hundingsbane is an Old Norse poem Her name means "Knower of Mysteries (or spells) of Victory. "
• Sváva appears in Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar. Sváfa is a Valkyrie and the daughter of king Eylimi in Norse mythology. Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar ("Lay of Helgi Hjörvarðsson" is a poem collected in the Poetic Edda, found in the Codex Regius manuscript Her name means "Suebian". The Suebi or Suevi (from Proto-Germanic * swēbaz based on the Proto-Germanic root * swē- meaning "one's own"
• Ölrún, Svanhvít, and Alvitr appear in Völundarkviða. Old Norse Alruna ( Ölrún, Old High German Ailrun, Modern German Alruna, Alraune is a Germanic female personal Völundarkviða ( Völundr's poem, the name can be anglicized as Völundarkvitha, Völundarkvidha, Völundarkvida, "Ölrún" means "Knower of the Mysteries (or spells) of Ale. "
• Þrúðr is a daughter of Thor. Þrúðr ( Old Norse "strength"sometimes anglicized as Thrúd or Thrud, is a daughter of the major god Thor in Norse Thor ( Old Norse: Þórr) is the red-haired and bearded God of Thunder in Germanic paganism and its subset Norse paganism Her name means "strength".

Other sources indicate that some other valkyries were notable characters in Norse mythology, such as Gunnr who appears on the Rök Runestone, and Skögul who still appeared on a runic inscription in 13th century Bergen. Norse mythology comprises the indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and Legends of the Scandinavian peoples including those who settled on Iceland Gunnr or Guðr is a Valkyrie in Norse mythology. Her name means "battle" and is cognate with the English word " Gun " The Rök Runestone ( Swedish: Rökstenen; Ög 136) is one of the most famous Runestones featuring the longest known runic inscription Skögul or Geirskögul is a Valkyrie in Norse mythology. She is attested in Völuspá and occurs as a minor character in is the second largest city in Norway. It is located on the south-western coast of Norway in the county of Hordaland in between a group of mountains known as De syv fjell

Other valkyries

A Valkyrie silver figurine, in the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities in Stockholm. Swedish Museum of National Antiquities (known in Swedish as Historiska museet or more formally Statens historiska museum) is a Museum located ('stɔkhɔlm is Sweden 's Capital and its largest City. It is the site of the national Swedish government, the parliament, and the

The inclination towards romantic depictions of valkyries is evident in Valkyries by Peter Nicolai Arbo, 1869. Peter Nicolai Arbo ( June 18 1831 &ndash October 14 1892) was a Norwegian painter who specialized in painting historical motifs and

A statue from 1908 by Stephan Sinding located in Copenhagen, presents an active image of a valkyrie. Stephan (Abel Sinding ( 4 August 1846 &ndash 23 January[[ 922]] was a Norwegian - Danish sculptor. Copenhagen (ˌkəʊpənˈheɪgən ˌkəʊpənˈhɑːgən ˈkəʊpənˌheɪgən ˈkəʊpənˌhɑːgən kʰøb̥ənˈhɑʊ̯ˀn kʰøb̥m̩ˈhɑʊ̯ˀn is the capital and largest city

Apart from the well known valkyries above, many more valkyrie names occur in our sources. In the nafnaþulur addition to Snorri's Edda the following strophes are found. Nafnaþulur is a listing in poetry of various categories such as gods giants people and objects Snorri Sturluson (1178 – September 23, 1241) was an Icelandic historian poet and politician This page refers to the Eddur poems and tales of Norse Mythology

In Grímnismál we have Odin reciting the following stanza. Grímnismál ( Sayings of Grímnir) is one of the mythological poems of the Poetic Edda.

In Völuspá there are still more names. Völuspá ( Prophecy of the Völva) is the first and best known poem of the Poetic Edda.

More are mentioned in Darraðarljóð (lines 1-52), a poem where their connection with the Norns is evident:

As can be seen from the above, several of the names exist in different versions. Many of them have a readily apparent warlike meaning - Hjörþrimul, for example, means "battle of swords" while Geirahöð means "battle of spears".

To what an extent this multitude of names ever represented individual mythological beings with separate characteristics is debatable. It is likely that many of them were never more than names and in any case only a few occur in extant myths.

Connections with Freyja

In Gylfaginning of the Prose Edda and the poem Grimnismál of the Poetic Edda, it is said that Freyja receives half of the slain heroes in her hall Fólkvangr, however there are no descriptions about life at Fólkvangr, at least not in surviving tales. Gylfaginning, or the Tricking of Gylfi (c 20000 words is the first part of Snorri Sturluson 's Prose Edda after The Prose Edda, also known as the Younger Edda, Snorri's Edda ( Snorra Edda) or simply Edda, is an Grímnismál ( Sayings of Grímnir) is one of the mythological poems of the Poetic Edda. The Poetic Edda is a collection of Old Norse poems primarily preserved in the Icelandic mediaeval Manuscript Codex Regius. Freyja (sometimes anglicized as Freya) is a major goddess in Norse Paganism, a subset of Germanic Paganism. In Norse mythology, Fólkvangr ("field of the host" is the dwelling of Freyja in Asgard, the world of the Æsir, where stands In Norse mythology, Fólkvangr ("field of the host" is the dwelling of Freyja in Asgard, the world of the Æsir, where stands

In Skáldskaparmál, Freyja is called "Possessor of the Slain" (Eidandi Valfalls), and in Njal's Saga, another title of Freyja is mentioned: Valfreyja "Mistress of the Chosen", and Mistress of the Valkyries in general^[14] (cf. The second part of Snorri Sturluson 's Prose Edda the Skáldskaparmál or "language of poetry" (c Njáls saga (also known as "Brennu-Njáls saga" or "The Story of the burning of Njáll") is arguably the most famous of the Sagas of Valfadir, Valkyrja).

Snorri Sturluson wrote that "whenever she rides into battles, she gets half of the slain, and Odin half" (The Prose Edda, Gylfaginning (24)) . Snorri Sturluson (1178 – September 23, 1241) was an Icelandic historian poet and politician Freyja is also called Vanadís, which suggests that she is related to the dísir. Freyja (sometimes anglicized as Freya) is a major goddess in Norse Paganism, a subset of Germanic Paganism. In Norse mythology, the dísir ("ladies" are fate goddesses who can be both benevolent and antagonistic towards mortal people and they include the Norns Like the Valkyries, Freyja also sometimes pours the wine at banquets of the Æsir (The Prose Edda, Skáldskaparmál (17)).

Modern perception

Richard Wagner incorporated Norse tales that included the valkyrie Brünnhilde (Brynhildr) and her punishment and subsequent love for the warrior Siegfried (Sigurðr) into his opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen. Brynhildr is a Shieldmaiden and a Valkyrie in Norse mythology, where she appears as a main character in the Völsunga saga and some Sigurd ( Old Norse: Sigurðr) is a legendary hero of Norse mythology, as well as the central character in the Völsunga saga. Der Ring des Nibelungen ( The Ring of the Nibelung) is a cycle of four epic Music dramas by the German composer This masterpiece includes his opera Die Walküre, which contains the well known Ride of the Valkyries, as well as three others, Das Rheingold, Siegfried and Götterdämmerung. Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto Die Walküre ( The Valkyrie) is the second of the four Operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen ( The Ring of the Nibelung The Ride of the Valkyries (Walkürenritt is the popular term for the beginning of Act III of Die Walküre by Richard Wagner. Das Rheingold ("The Rhine Gold" is the first of the four operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen ( The Ring of the Nibelung) by Richard Wagner ("Twilight of the Gods" – see Notes) is the last of the four Operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen ( The Ring of the Nibelung These depictions and others have subsequently led to modern representations of valkyries less as figures of death and warfare and more commonly as romanticized, pristine white and gold clad figures riding winged horses.

See also

• Dísir
• Fylgja
• Grendel's mother
• Norns
• Shieldmaiden
• Swan maiden
• List of women warriors in folklore, literature, and popular culture

Notes

References