Angrboða

Angrboða, also Angrboda, is a figure in Norse mythology. She is a jötunn (giantess) associated with Jötunheimr and is best known as the mate of Loki and the mother of three fearsome offspring: Fenrir the wolf, Jörmungandr the world-serpent, and Hel, ruler of the realm of the dead.

The name Angrboða is Old Norse and is usually interpreted as meaning “she who brings grief” or “the one who brings sorrow,” reflecting the ominous fate of her children. In the primary sources, she is identified as Loki’s consort; however, the myths provide limited detail about their relationship beyond parentage of the children.

In myth, the children of Angrboða and Loki play central roles in the events surrounding Ragnarok. Fenrir grows so dangerous that the gods bind him with a magical chain; Jörmungandr becomes so large that he encircles Midgard and threatens the gods during the cataclysmic conflict; Hel presides over the realm of the dead and governs the fate of many who die in battle or otherwise pass away.

Angrboða’s portrayal varies by source. In Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda, she is named as Loki’s mate; in other works she is presented as a powerful giantess allied with Loki. In modern fiction and media, Angrboða often appears as the mother of Loki’s monstrous brood, underscoring her role as a progenitor of the forces that challenge the gods.