Old Norse Images of Women PDF
Preview Old Norse Images of Women
Old Norse Images of Women University of Pennsylvania Press M I D D LE A G ES S E R I ES General Editor RUTH MAZO KARRAS, Temple University Founding Editor EDWARD PETERS, University of Pennsylvania A complete list of books in the series is available from the publisher. Old Norse Images of Women Jenny Jochens PENN University of Pennsylvania Press Philadelphia Publication of the book was aided hydrants from the Carlsberg Foundation and Towson State University Copyright © 1996 University of Pennsylvania Press All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 32 Published by University of Pennsylvania Press Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-4011 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Jochens, Jenny, 1928- Old Norse images of women / Jenny Jochens. p. cm. — (Middle Ages series) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8122-3358-1 (alk. paper) 1. Old Norse literature—History and criticism. 2. Women in literature. 3. Mythology, Norse. 4. Goddesses. 5. Women—Mythology 6. Women—Scandinavia—History. I. Tide. II. Series. PT7162.W6J6 1996 839*.609—DC20 96-11000 CIP To MAUDE, NELL, JUSTIN, LUKAS, LAURA, ELIAS, and KAREN MARGRETHE with love from FARMOR Contents Preface xi Introduction i 1. The Germanic-Nordic Continuum 12 Germanic Migrations 12 Religious Continuity 15 Genealogical Connections 16 DIVINE IMAGES 2. Ancient Female Figures 3 3 Fertility Goddesses 3 5 Fetches (Fylgjur) 3 7 Guardian Spirits (Disir) 3 8 Valkyries (Valkyrjur) 3 8 Norns (Nornir) 39 Sibyls (Vglur) 41 Land-Spirits (Landv&ttir) 44 Worship and Cult 45 3. The Classical Nordic Pantheon: Goddesses and Gender 49 Procreation 51 Desire and Sexual Behavior 56 Marriage 62 Two Goddesses: Frigg and Freyja 65 Daily Life and Work 6 8 Magic (Seidr) 72 viii Contents Pagan Misogyny 75 Worship and Cult 78 Snorri's Role for Female Images 8 o HUMAN IMAGES 4. The Warrior Woman 8 7 Sigrdrifa/Brynhildr: War and Wisdom 89 Shield-Maidens (Skjaldmeyjar): Sigrun and Svava 9 5 Maiden Warriors 97 Maiden Kings (Meykonungar) 102 Characteristics of Female Warriors 103 Women in War: The Historical Record 107 5. The Prophetess/Sorceress 113 Female Leadership 113 Germanic and Nordic Human Prophetesses 113 Magic and Gender 119 6. The Avenger 132 Twin Imagery 132 Gudrun 135 Signy 155 Revenging Women in History? 158 7. The Whetter: Brynhildr 162 The Continental Whetter in Nordic Literature 162 The Queens' Quarrel 167 The Whetter in Continental History 171 8. The Nordic Whetter 174 Aristocratic Whetters 175 Royal Whetters 179 Ancient Icelandic Whetters 182 Whetters in the Contemporary Sagas 194 Contents ix Male Reaction to Whetting 195 Why Whet? 198 Conclusion 205 Appendix One: Sources 217 Latin Evidence 217 Runes 218 Northern Vernacular Writing 218 Appendix Two: Historiography of Norse Women— Paul-Henri Mallet and Laurits Engelstoft 234 Abbreviations 241 Notes 245 Bibliography 293 Index 321
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