Legends Summarized: The Nine(?) Realms
Overly Sarcastic Productions・22 minutes read
People love categorization but struggle with the limitations of strict delineation due to human diversity. Norse Mythology's Nine Realms provide a structured framework despite being frustratingly vague and lacking a clear list.
Insights
- Categorization, a favorite activity online, varies among individuals due to human diversity, leading to challenges in creating strict distinctions and handling gray areas.
- Norse Mythology's Nine Realms, while providing a structured categorization system, exhibit vagueness and ambiguity in their details, with various realms like Niflheim, Nidavellir, and Urd's Well contributing to a complex and mysterious cosmology that defies clear categorization.
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Recent questions
What is the significance of categorization in human behavior?
Categorization plays a crucial role in human behavior as people enjoy sorting and organizing things with clear rules. This extends from tangible aspects like country and gender to abstract concepts like star signs. While strict delineation can struggle with edge cases and gray areas due to human diversity, broad categorization remains useful despite its limitations. Stereotyping can arise from boxing people into categories, but finding a preferred category can be satisfying for individuals.
What are the Nine Realms in Norse Mythology?
The Nine Realms in Norse Mythology are a complex and interconnected system of worlds. Midgard is the world of humans, formed from Ymir's corpse and fortified against giants. Asgard is the realm of the gods, separate from the world of humans, with a complex structure and uncertain details. Other realms include Vanaheim, Niflhel, Niflheim, Muspelheim, Nidavellir, Okolnir, Urd's Well, Ithavoll, Jarnvidr, and Nidafjoll, each with its unique characteristics and significance in Norse mythology.
What is the role of Niflheim in Norse Mythology?
Niflheim, also known as Niflhel, is described as the dark realm of Hel, the goddess of the dead, located under the other worlds in Norse mythology. It is suggested to be the last of the Nine Realms, located at the very bottom, according to Snorri's mention of it being "down in the ninth world." Niflheim, along with Muspelheim, realms of ultimate cold and fire respectively, pre-exist Midgard and contribute to its creation in a transformative primordial clash.
Who are Aegir and Rán in Norse Mythology?
Aegir and Rán are figures in Norse mythology associated with the ocean. Aegir is a sea jötunn (giant) while Rán is a goddess of the sea. They have nine daughters representing ocean waves, each with names describing different wave effects. However, sometimes there are ten names listed, all poetic kennings for "waves," suggesting uncertainty around the exact number of daughters. This ambiguity adds to the mystical and enigmatic nature of Norse mythology.
How does the number nine feature in Norse mythology?
The number nine holds significant symbolism in Norse mythology, appearing in various contexts and stories. For example, Odin hung on Yggdrasil for nine days, Thor took nine steps after killing Jormungandr, and Odin broke loose on the ninth day of his imprisonment. These instances have led to speculation on the significance of "nine" in Norse mythology, with some interpreting it as a poetic way to denote importance rather than a specific count. The recurring presence of the number nine adds depth and mystery to the mythological tales of the Norse gods and realms.
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Summary
00:00
"Internet categorization: preferences, limitations, and satisfaction"
- People on the internet love clear categorization, but preferences vary.
- Strict delineation struggles with edge cases and gray areas due to human diversity.
- Broad categorization remains useful despite its limitations.
- Humans enjoy sorting and categorizing things with clear rules.
- Categorization extends from tangible aspects like country and gender to abstract concepts like star signs.
- Stereotyping arises from boxing people into categories, but finding a preferred category is satisfying.
- Norse Mythology's Nine Realms provide a rare categorically ironclad structure in mythology.
- The Nine Realms concept in Norse Mythology is frustratingly vague and lacks a clear list.
- Midgard is the world of humans, formed from Ymir's corpse, and fortified against giants.
- Asgard is the realm of the gods, separate from the world of humans, with a complex structure and uncertain details.
09:24
Realms of Norse Mythology and Ragnarok's aftermath.
- Vanaheim is a realm that may exist independently due to its history as a bad guy region, with its status tied to the separation of the Vanir and Aesir gods.
- Niflhel, mentioned in Norse mythology, is likely the same realm as Niflheim, described as the dark realm of Hel, goddess of the dead, located under the other worlds.
- Niflhel is suggested to be the last of the Nine Realms, located at the very bottom, according to Snorri's mention of it being "down in the ninth world."
- Niflheim and Muspelheim, realms of ultimate cold and fire respectively, pre-exist Midgard and contribute to its creation in a transformative primordial clash.
- Nidavellir, possibly the Dwarf Realm, is referenced in the Poetic Edda as the location of a golden hall for dwarves.
- Okolnir, mentioned alongside Nidavellir, is described as the location of the mead-hall belonging to the giant Brimir, possibly making it one of the Nine Realms.
- Urd's Well, where the Norns live and draw water to tend Yggdrasil's roots, is significant to the gods and may be one of the Nine Realms if Alfheim is included.
- Ithavoll, a field where gods gather before and after Ragnarok, is distinct from Asgard and may be considered a separate realm.
- Jarnvidr, a spooky realm east of Midgard, is home to a giantess spawning the brood of Fenrir, contributing to the events of Ragnarok.
- Nidafjoll, described as the realm below where the Nidhogg flies out from after Ragnarok, is a mysterious realm worthy of inclusion among the Nine Realms.
18:13
"Nine in Norse Mythology: Symbolic Significance"
- Aegir and Rán have nine daughters representing ocean waves, each with names describing different wave effects, although sometimes there are ten names listed, all poetic kennings for "waves", suggesting the idea of exactly nine daughters is uncertain.
- Heimdallr, a god born of nine mothers, has a list of nine names given in the Lay of Hyndla, but it's unclear if those nine giantesses raising an unnamed god are the same mothers that raised Heimdallr, indicating another case where nine is implied but not listed that way.
- The number nine appears frequently in Norse mythology, such as Odin hanging on Yggdrasil for nine days, Thor taking nine steps after killing Jormungandr, and Odin breaking loose on the ninth day of his imprisonment, leading to speculation on the significance of "nine" and whether it's just a poetic way to denote importance rather than a specific count.
