The Nine Worlds of the Norse

Author: Traditional Norse

Time Period: 1001 CE–1500 CE

Country or Culture: Scandinavia

Genre: Myth

PLOT SUMMARY

The Norse universe is separated into three vertical levels that contain nine distinct worlds. All of these worlds are intertwined in the roots and branches of the great world-tree, Yggdrasil. The worlds are not side by side but rather separated by great distances, mountains, valleys, and other obstacles that exist within Yggdrasil’s roots and branches.

The first level contains the highest beings. At the very top of this level is the world of Asgard, occupied by the gods, known as the Aesir. This world is commanded by the father of all gods, Odin. Among the other Aesir are Thor (the god of thunder) and Balder (the god of beauty). Also occupying this first level is Vanaheim, the world of the Vanir. Long ago, the gods of the Vanir and Aesir tribes engaged in a brutal war, but they have since agreed to coexist peacefully. The third world within the first level, Alfheim, is occupied by the god Frey and the light elves.

The second level includes the world in which humans live. This world, Midgard (“middle earth”), is connected to Asgard by way of a great rainbow bridge, Bifröst. Also present in this second level is the world of the giants, Jotunheim. The Jotuns have been frequent enemies of Asgard; Midgard itself was forged from the corpse of the first Jotun, Ymir, who was killed by Odin and his brothers. There are exceptions to this rivalry, however: Loki was born a Jotun but is allowed to live in Asgard. In addition to Midgard and Jotunheim, there is Svartalfheim, the home of the dark elves. Finally, there is the world of Nidavellir, where the dwarves live. The dwarves constructed some of the Aesir’s most powerful possessions, including Thor’s hammer and Odin’s spear.

Beneath the second level are the worlds of fire and frost: Muspelheim and Niflheim, respectively. Muspelheim, which lies at the southernmost position of Yggdrasil, is ruled by the giant Surt. At Ragnarok, the battle at the end of the world, Surt will rise up to fight his sworn enemy, Asgard. On Muspelheim’s northern border, separated by a gulf called Ginnunga Gap, lies Niflheim, the world of primordial ice. Niflheim contains the spring Hvergelmir, from which all rivers come. In fact, even the tree of Yggdrasil has a root that draws from it. It is also said that the realm of the dead, Helheim (ruled by the female monster Hel), exists within Niflheim. In some interpretations of the nine worlds, Helheim is itself a distinct world, while Svartalheim is not referenced.

SIGNIFICANCE

The nine worlds of the Norse universe were first collectively identified in early medieval poems known as the Eddas. With the exception of Midgard, these worlds are invisible to humans. However, the influences of the other eight worlds on Midgard help give them definition for humans. For example, many scenes of nature, such as thick forests, are seen as part of Jotunheim. Also, Asgard is seen in the sky, while Helheim, the underworld, is associated with the grave (hence its placement underground).

Although all of the worlds within Yggdrasil are ruled by Odin and the gods of Asgard, the nine Norse worlds comprise a network of distinct regions, each of which interacts in some way with other worlds. At times, these interactions are negative. For example, the worlds of the giants (Jotunheim) and the highest gods (Asgard) are most often in conflict. When Ragnarok takes place, the two realms will continue their war and, in the process, destroy the universe. Similarly, the fire giants of Muspelheim will also take up arms against Asgard when Ragnarok takes place. At other times, the worlds come into contact with another, with localized, minor effects. For example, the dwarves of Nidavellir are said to have made great crafts for occupants of the other worlds, especially Asgard.

The nine worlds’ interactions also explain the cycle of life, both for mortals and immortals. Ymir, the great giant from which Midgard was created, is himself created by the convergence of fire and ice at Ginnunga gap. Odin is also a product of the collective power of Niflheim and Muspelheim: he is a descendent of a primordial cow that formed at the meeting point between Muspelheim and Niflheim.

Humans are the creatures most influenced by the interaction between the nine worlds. Humans have a direct link to Asgard via the rainbow bridge of Bifröst. Furthermore, when the bravest human warriors die, they are carried from Midgard to either Odin’s great hall, Valhalla, or Freya’s hall, Sessrumnir, both located in Asgard, where they are honored for their feats. If the souls of the dead are not brought to these places of honor in Asgard, however, they are brought to Helheim.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

“The Aesir-Vanir War.” Norse-Mythology.org. Dan McCoy, 2013. Web. 29 May 2013.

Daly, Kathleen N. “Nine Worlds.” Norse Mythology A to Z. 3rd ed. New York: Chelsea, 2010. 73. Print.

Hollander, Lee Milton, trans. The Poetic Edda. Vol. 1. 1962. Austin: U of Texas P, 2004. Print.

Lindemans, Micha F. “Nine Worlds.” Encyclopedia Mythica. Encyclopedia Mythica, 27 Dec. 1998. Web. 29 May 2013.

Lindow, John. Handbook of Norse Mythology. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2001. Print.

“The Nine Worlds.” Norse-Mythology.org. Dan McCoy, 2013. Web. 29 May 2013.