Wednesday, March 19th, 2014

Dear Mythology Kids,


HAPPY 4th TERM! Can you believe it? This is what you missed today in class! STOP MISSING CLASS!

WHAT ARE RUNES?

Runes are the letters of the ancient Scandinavian people. According to myth, the Runes were created by Odin. In his quest to obtain more knowledge, he stabbed and then hanged himself from Yggdrasil. As he was hanging, and of course, bleeding to death, the weight of his body forced dead branches from Yggdrasil to land in Gunnungagap. The branches fell in unusual patterns, hence creating the Runes. Originally, eighteen Runes were created, but as the Scandinavian language changed, more letters were required.

Each Rune represents a letter, has a sound, name, and has magical powers associated with it. Odin touches each of the eighteen Runes, and therefore he is given knowledge that other characters in Norse Mythology do not have. For example, one of the Runes taught Odin how to return from the dead. Another teaches him how to woo women. One Rune gives him the power to read and write.....etc.

The Runes are placed around this rendering of Odin riding Sleipnir.

We covered an extensive amount of information today in class. We completed the back of your yellow sheet. YOU WILL HAVE A QUIZ ON FRIDAY covering our discussion today. If you complete your flashcards (48), you are welcome to use twelve on your quiz. The following characters relate to your quiz:

Odin

Thor

Frigg (a)

Balder

Loki

Hel

Tyr

Heimdall

Hermod

Idun

Njord

Freyr

Frejya

Hugin

Mugin

Norns

Valkyries

Fenrir

Jormungand

Jotenheim

Jormungand

Ragnorok

Mjolnir

Slepnir

Vahalla

Aesir

Vanir

Asgard

Midgard

 

RUNES (and everything about them!)

PRACTICE QUIZ!
1. I am Odin's "thought." _________________
2. I am Odin's "Memory." _________________
3. Mother to Balder; Friday; weaves the clouds ______________
4. Loves gold; hates war ____________________
5. Strong senses _________________
6. Trickster _______________
7. The end of the Norse World is called ______________
8. I have eight legs. _______________
9. Wednesday ______________
10. The "heaven" in the land of the gods is called ____________
11. Loki is our father 11.______________12.______________13.____________
14. I have a special hammer _______________
15. Apples are my favorite fruit. _________________
16. Collect the fallen warriors from battle ____________________ 

17. "Lord of the Gallows" ___________________

18. God of farmers __________________

19. One handed for sacrifice __________________

20.  Gods of War ____________________

I hope this helps!

 

Cheers,

Crampton

HOMEWORK:

1. PREP FOR YOUR QUIZ!
2. Make sure you have all 48 flashcards ready for your quiz...you can use 12 on your Quiz !

Welcome to Norse Mythology! Thursday, March 6th, 2014

Dear Mythology Kids, 
STOP MISSING CLASS, and if you do miss class, then FIND OUT WHAT YOU MISSED. Focus on being PRO-ACTIVE!

This is what you missed today!

Norse Mythology are the stories of the Scandanavian people. The Norse were extremely skilled at sea faring; consequently, they were exposed to different cultures. The Norse came upon the Romans, who in turn, hired them as mercenaries. The Roman culture was extremely advanced; consequently, the Norseman adopted some of their belief system into their own culture. This is why when we start to read the myths you will note some strong similarities to Greek Mythology. Remember that the Romans stole their religion from the Greeks. Another important point that you need to know involves the conversion of the Romans to Christianity. The Norseman continued to be influenced by the Roman culture, and therefore they also adopted Christian influences into their mythology, as well.

Everyone of you should have a new textbook, and a "packet" of handouts that will be used during the next two weeks. Your homework assignments for TUESDAY. includes the following: 

 

1. Please make flashcards for the characters discussed today in class......the first 12...up to YGGDRASIL!

2. "PERSONALIZED ITHACA" is due on THURSDAY!

3. FOOD ASSIGNMENT is due on THURSDAY!

Norse Mythology is difficult to fully explain in this forum, but I will do my best.......In the beginning, no formed matter exists. This enormous chasm of unorganized matter is called GUNNUNGAGAP! To the north of Gunnungagap is an immense area of frozen ice. This area is called NIFLHEIM.

To the south of Gunnungagap is an immense region of heat called MUSPELHEIM. Nothing exists but these two regions.
Suddenly these two regions begin to move closer together. The heat from Muspelheim causes the ice from Niflheim to melt and droplets of water land in Gunnungagap. Some how and I don't know exactly how this happens, and neither did the Nordic people, so you just have to accept it, two important beings are created at the same time......an enormous man called Ymir, who is also called a "frost giant" and a cow whose name is Adumla. I know, it's a little unusual.

Ymir begins to suck on the teats of Audumla, so she is nourishing this evil frost giant, and then he begins to "give birth" to other frost giants. As he is sucking on the teats of the cow, Ymir begins to sweat and his sweat morphs into other giants. In the mean time, Audumla begins to lick some of the ice from Niflheim that did not melt when Muspelheim moved close to it. Every place her saliva touches a human form is created. You can see this depicted in the image above. The individual that is created from the saliva is known as BURI. He is entirely positive. He, in turn, gives birth to two individuals; their names are BOR and BESTLA. Bor is a male and Bestla is a famale. These two have three children whose names are Odin, Vili, and Ve. Odin becomes the king of the Norse Gods because he is recognized as the "first born."

Odin, Vili, and Ve recognize that Ymir is "birthing" evil frost giants, so they feel compelled to destory him. Upon his murder they take his body and use it to create the world of humans, giants, and dwarfs known as Midgard.