Tyr

Tyr is a god in Norse mythology associated with law, justice, and war. He is generally considered a member of the Aesir and is often described as upholding oaths, social order, and heroic glory. The name is derived from Proto-Germanic *Tīwaz* and is cognate with the Old English Tiw/Tyr; the root is connected to the Germanic idea of law, sacrifice, and the sky. The name also survives in the weekday name Tuesday in English and many related languages.

The most famous myth involving Tyr concerns the binding of the great wolf Fenrir. The gods fear Fenrir’s strength and seek to chain him. They commission Gleipnir, a thin, silent bond crafted by dwarves, to restrain the beast. To prove the binding, Tyr places his right hand in Fenrir’s jaws as a pledge of good faith. When Fenrir discovers he is bound, he bites off Tyr’s hand, and the god loses his right arm. Since then Tyr is often depicted as one-handed, a symbol of sacrifice in the service of order and law. Beyond this tale, Tyr’s role in Norse myth is less prominent than figures like Odin or Thor, though he is still associated with oaths and the governance of legal and social norms.

In surviving sources such as the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda, Tyr’s presence emphasizes justice, lawful conduct, and the responsibilities of leadership. The figure has influenced later folklore, literature, and popular culture, where he is commonly portrayed as a steadfast, duty-bound deity.