Midgardsormr Dragonhead

Miðgarðsormr Dragonhead, Tromsøya, Troms County, Norway

'In Norse mythology, Jörmungandr (Old Norse: Jǫrmungandr, pronounced... more

by David Broome

Title

Midgardsormr Dragonhead

Artist

David Broome

Medium

Photograph

Description

"Miðgarðsormr Dragonhead, Tromsøya, Troms County, Norway"

'In Norse mythology, Jörmungandr (Old Norse: Jǫrmungandr, pronounced [ˈjɔrmuŋɡandr̥], meaning "huge monster"), also known as the Midgard (World) Serpent (Old Norse: Miðgarðsormr), is a sea serpent, the middle child of the giantess Angrboða and Loki. According to the Prose Edda, Odin took Loki's three children by Angrboða — the wolf Fenrir, Hel, and Jörmungandr — and tossed Jörmungandr into the great ocean that encircles Midgard. The serpent grew so large that it was able to surround the earth and grasp its own tail. As a result, it received the name of the Midgard Serpent or World Serpent. When it releases its tail, Ragnarök will begin.

The major sources for myths about Jörmungandr are the Prose Edda, the skaldic poem Húsdrápa, and the Eddic poems Hymiskviða and Völuspá. Other sources include kennings in other skaldic poems. For example, in Þórsdrápa, faðir lögseims, "father of the sea-thread", is used as a kenning for Loki. There are also image stones from ancient times depicting the story of Thor fishing for Jörmungandr.'

Additionally, 'Níðhöggr (Malice Striker, traditionally also spelled "Níðhǫggr", often anglicized "Nidhogg") is a dragon/serpent who gnaws at a root of the world tree, Yggdrasil. In historical Viking society, níð was a term for a social stigma implying the loss of honor and the status of a villain. Thus, its name might refer to its role as a horrific monster or in its action of chewing the corpses of the inhabitants of Náströnd: those guilty of murder, adultery, and oath-breaking, which Norse society considered among the worst possible crimes.' - Wikicommons

© David Broome

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December 27th, 2021