The Norse gods reflect the warlike nature of the culture that created them. Odin is the father of the gods, while Thor is the god of thunderstorms and Freya is the goddess of love. Loki is the trickster and Baldur is the god of peace. Norse gods were worshiped until Christianity arrived.
The pantheon of Norse gods reflects the warlike nature of the culture that created them. While all gods are meant to be larger than life, the Norse gods seem particularly bombastic, flagrant, and savage. The Norse gods were brought to Scandinavia by the Vikings, who traveled extensively in the North Atlantic and brought their customs and gods with them. Numerous Scandinavian nations have adopted the Norse gods, sometimes making minor adaptations and additions to suit their own cultural needs.
The father of the Norse gods is Odin. Odin is the lord of death, knowledge and war, riding an eight-legged horse named Sleipnir into battle and accompanied by two ravens, Huginn and Muninn, who serve as his eyes. Odin endured crucifixion on a tree for nine days and nights for the gift of wisdom, after piercing himself with his own spear. Odin is also known to be a shapeshifter, changing in appearance to suit his needs as he travels.
The trickster of the Norse gods is Loki, who never misses an opportunity to tease the other members of the pantheon. Loki is also a shapeshifter, using his abilities in his quest for mischief. Besides being a troublemaker, Loki has a soft spot for goddesses, with three wives and numerous affairs. Loki enraged the rest of the Norse gods enough to hold him in retribution until Ragnarok, or the end of the world, comes.
Thor, the son of Odin, is the Norse god people think of most often, as he embodies the ideal giant, brawny and muscular. Thor has red hair and roams the world with his war hammer, riding through storm clouds in a chariot. Thor is also the god of thunderstorms and together with the giantess Jarnsaxa he had several children, including Magni, who is the god of strength.
Freya, the goddess of love, is sometimes considered the leader of the Vanir, one of the two pantheons of Norse gods. As well as being a fertility goddess, she is also a warrior and she receives half of the warriors who die in battle at Fólkvangr, her camp – the other half goes to Valhalla, a great hall over which Odin rules. She is the twin sister of Freyr, the god of crops, prosperity and abundance. Both Freya and Freyr are said to be strikingly beautiful, as well as extremely intelligent.
Another of Odin’s sons, Baldur, is the god of peace. His twin brother Hod is the god of darkness and winter. There are numerous other lesser Norse gods, covering vengeance, fishing, silence, inspiration, and everything in between. Norse gods were worshiped in much of Scandinavia until the advent of Christianity, when many Vikings were early converts. In parts of Germany and Iceland, attempts are underway to revive Norse paganism.
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