goðafræði

Goðafræði refers to the study of Norse mythology. This encompasses the religious beliefs, myths, and legends of the North Germanic peoples, primarily from the Viking Age. The core of Norse mythology revolves around a pantheon of gods, chief among them Odin, the Allfather, and his sons Thor, the god of thunder, and Baldr, the god of light. These deities inhabit Asgard, one of the Nine Worlds connected by the world tree Yggdrasil.

The myths describe the creation of the world from the body of the giant Ymir, and the ongoing struggle between the gods and the giants (jötnar), representing the forces of chaos. Key narratives include the creation of humans from an ash and an elm tree, the binding of the wolf Fenrir, and the eventual twilight of the gods, Ragnarök, a prophesied cataclysmic battle followed by the rebirth of the world.

Sources for understanding goðafræði are primarily literary, with the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda being the most significant surviving texts, compiled in Iceland centuries after the Viking Age. Archaeological finds also contribute to our knowledge. The study of goðafræði explores themes of fate, honor, courage, and the cyclical nature of existence, and its influence can be seen in modern culture, literature, and art.