Giant (folklore)

A giant is a humanlike being of extremely large size and strength that is found in the mythologies and folklore of many cultures around the world. In some depictions, giants are malevolent beings that are antagonistic to humans; in others, they may be seen as oafish and stupid. On occasion, giants may also be portrayed as friendly creatures. The term “giant” comes from the French word geant, but its origins can be traced back to Greek mythology and the Gigantes, or “earthborn,” a race of monsters that acted as destructive forces of nature. In addition to Greek mythology, giants are also mentioned in the Bible, in Norse mythology, Native American folklore, and many other traditional accounts. Perhaps the most well-known giants to modern audiences come from English folklore in tales such as “Jack the Giant Killer” and “Jack and the Beanstalk.”

Background

According to Greek mythology, the Gigantes were a group of one hundred monsters born from Gaia, goddess of the Earth, and Uranus, god of the sky. The Gigantes were large creatures with human features above the waist, but serpent’s tails instead of legs. At the command of Gaia, the Gigantes declared war upon the Olympian gods and were defeated. During the battle, which was known as the gigantomachy, the goddess Athena was said to have killed the giant Enceladus by crushing him with Mount Etna, a volcanic mountain on the island of Sicily. Another giant, Polybotes, was killed when the sea god Poseidon dropped an island on him, while the king of the giants, Porphyrion, was killed by the arrows of Hercules and thunderbolts of Zeus.

The Gigantes were most often depicted in art as primitive beings dressed in animal skins who fought by throwing rocks and wielding flaming branches. To the Greeks, they may have represented the people of Thrace, a primitive culture to the north of Greece. Anthropologists often interpret the defeat of the Gigantes as symbolic of Greek civilization overcoming barbarism. Although they were the most numerous, the Gigantes were not the only giants in Greek mythology. The Cyclopes were three one-eyed giants who allied themselves with Zeus, as did the three Hecatoncheires, hundred-armed giants who also had fifty heads. One of the most famous giants in Greek myth was the hunter Orion, the son of Poseidon, who was placed in the sky as a constellation after his death.

Overview

The book of Genesis in the Old Testament of the Bible tells of a race of beings known as the Nephilim, who are interpreted by some scholars as fallen angels. The Nephilim were said to be born from a union of angelic beings and human women. In most cases, the Nephilim are considered to be giants who lived before, and survived, the Great Flood in the time of Noah. A better-known example of a giant in the Bible is the Philistine warrior Goliath, who in some accounts was said to be almost ten feet tall. Goliath was a fearsome enemy of the Israelites until he was killed by the young warrior David with a sling.

In Norse mythology, giants were a race of powerful beings known as the jötnar. The jötnar were not always depicted as larger than the other races of the Norse mythology, but they were seen as immensely strong. The jötnar were said to live in the realm of Jotunheim in a large fortification known as Utgard. At one time, the Norse gods were allies with the giants, and even mated with them. Several gods, including the thunder god, Thor, were said to have been born from a jötnar mother. However, eventually the gods and the giants became enemies and the Norse gods defeated the jötnar after many battles. A number of myths tell of a conflict between Thor and the giant Hrungnir, who was said to have built the walls around the realm of Asgard. In one version, a drunken Hrungnir insults the gods and threatens to kill them and carry off their queen, Freya. Thor challenges Hrungnir to a duel and crushes the giant’s head with his mighty hammer.

Native American folklore in North America includes tales of giants, most of which are evil and grotesque beings. In Inuit mythology, giants were said to hunt humans for food. Several Native American peoples of the western United States tell of giants that steal children or women. The Seminole people of Florida believe in a foul-smelling giant known as Tall Man. The Lakota of the upper Midwestern United States say that the cold winter winds are caused the breath of a giant named Waziya who lives in the north.

Many of the more familiar giants in popular fairy tales have their origins in the folklore of Europe, particularly from that of Great Britain. In the tale known as “Jack the Giant Killer,” a young boy battles a number of giants during the time of King Arthur. In one story, Jack takes on a fearsome giant named Cormoran. While the giant was sleeping in his mountain home, Jack dug a large pit on the mountainside and disguised the hole. The next morning, Jack blew his horn, waking the giant who angrily dashed down the mountain. Cormoran fell into the pit, where he was quickly buried by Jack and beheaded. The tale better known today as “Jack and the Beanstalk” was first published in the 1730s as “Jack Spriggins and the Enchanted Bean,” although it is certainly a much older story. In both “Jack the Giant Killer” and “Jack and the Beanstalk,” the giants are portrayed as lumbering, stupid creatures who are outwitted by a much smaller, but smarter, foe.

According to another British legend, a group of giants led by the twelve-foot-tall Gogmagog was said to have attacked Brutus of Troy, a mythical founder of Britain. Brutus and his army killed all the giants except Gogmagog. One of Brutus’ generals, Corineus, challenged the giant to a wrestling match, and after defeating him, threw him from a cliff. Gogmagog was said to have been the last British giant.

Bibliography

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“The Beanstalk’s Roots.” Irish Times, 9 Dec. 1999, www.irishtimes.com/culture/the-beanstalk-s-roots-1.259268. Accessed 13 July 2020.

Cock-Starkey, Claire. “10 Mythical Giants From Around the World.” Mental Floss, 3 Aug. 2016, www.mentalfloss.com/article/84109/10-mythical-giants-around-world. Accessed 13 July 2020.

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Louise, Rita. “The Nephilim: Giant Offspring of the Sons of God and the Daughters of Man?” Ancient Origins, 26 Nov. 2019, www.ancient-origins.net/human-origins-religions-opinion-guest-authors/are-nephilim-really-offspring-sons-god-and-daughters. Accessed 10 July 2020.

McCoy, Daniel. “Giants.” Norse Mythology for Smart People, 2019, norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/giants/. Accessed 13 July 2020.