Valkyrie Totally Explained

Everything about Valkyries totally explained

In Norse mythology the valkyries (Old Norse Valkyrja "Choosers of the Slain") are dísir, minor female deities, who served Odin. The valkyries' purpose was to choose the most heroic of those who had died in battle and to carry them off to Valhalla where they became einherjar. This was necessary because Odin needed warriors to fight at his side at the preordained battle at the end of the world, Ragnarök. In Valhalla the valkyries also “serve drink and look after the tableware and drinking vessels” (Prose Edda Gylfaginning 36).
It appears, however, that there was no clear distinction between the valkyries and the norns. Skuld is for instance both a valkyrie and a norn, and in the Darraðarljóð (lines 1-52), the valkyries weave the web of war (see below). According to the Prose Edda (Gylfaginning 36), “Odin sends the valkyries to every battle. They allot death to men and govern victory. Gunnr and Róta two valkyries and the youngest norn, called Skuld, always ride to choose who shall be slain and to govern the killings”.
Moreover, artistic licence permitted the name Valkyrie to be used for mortal women in Old Norse poetry, or to quote Snorri Sturluson's Skáldskaparmál on the various names used for women: ť Woman is also metaphorically called by the names of the Asynjur or the Valkyrs or Norns or women of supernatural kind.

Depictions

In modern art, the valkyries are sometimes depicted as beautiful shieldmaidens on winged horses, armed with helmets and spears. However, valkyrie horse was a kenning for wolf (see Rök Stone), so contrary to the stereotype, they didn't ride winged horses. This would suggest that their mounts were rather the packs of wolves that frequented the corpses of dead warriors. They were gruesome and war-like.
Whereas the wolf was the valkyrie's mount, the valkyrie herself appears to be akin to the raven, flying over the battlefield and "choosing" corpses. Thus, the packs of wolves and ravens that scavenged the aftermath of battles may have been seen as serving a higher purpose.
According to Thomas Bulfinch's highly influential work Bulfinch's Mythology (1855), the armour of the valkyries "sheds a strange flickering light, which flashes up over the northern skies, making what men call the 'Aurora Borealis', or 'Northern Lights'." However, there's nothing in our sources which supports this claim, except for the arrival of the Valkyries in Helgakviða Hundingsbana I:

ť 15. Þá brá ljóma

:af Logafjöllum, ť en af þeim ljómum

   leiftrir kómu, ť -- -- --

   -- -- -- ť hávar und hjalmum

   á Himinvanga, ť brynjur váru þeira

   blóði stokknar, ť en af geirum

   geislar stóðu.

ť 15. Then glittered light

:from Logafjoll, ť And from the light

   the flashes leaped; ť -

   - ť High under helms

   on heaven's field; ť Their byrnies all

   with blood were red, ť And from their spears

   the sparks flew forth.

ť 15. Then gleamed a ray

:from Logafiöll, ť and from that ray

   lightnings issued; ť then appeared,

   in the field of air, ť a helmed band

   of Valkyriur: ť their corslets were

   with blood besprinkled, ť and from their spears

   shone beams of light.

Origins

The origin of the valkyries as a whole isn't reported in extant texts, but many of the well known valkyries are reported as having mortal parents. It is now believed that the original valkyries were the priestesses of Odin who officiated at sacrificial rites in which prisoners were executed (“given to Odin”). These priestesses sometimes carried out the sacrifices themselves, which involved the use of a ritual spear. By the time the Poetic Edda came to be compiled in the late 12th or early 13th century, these rituals had given rise to legends of supernatural battle-maidens who took an active part in human conflict, deciding who should live and who should die (Davidson 1964).
In the mythological poems of the Poetic Edda the valkyries are supernatural deities of unknown parentage; they're described as battle-maidens who ride in the ranks of the gods or serve the drinks in Valhalla; they're invariably given unworldly names like Skǫgul (“Raging”), Hlǫkk (“Shrieking”) and Gjǫll (“Screaming”).
In the Heroic lays, however, the valkyries are described as bands of warrior-women only the leader of whom is ever named. She is invariably a human woman, the beautiful daughter of a great king, though she shares some of the supernatural abilities of her anonymous companions. In the first of the three Helgi Lays, Helgi Hjörvarðsson is accosted by a band of nine valkyries the leader of whom, Svava, is the daughter of a king called Eylimi. In the second and third lays, the valkyries are led by Sigrun, who is the daughter of King Hogni; she marries the hero Helgi Hundingsbani and bears him sons. The most famous of the valkyries, Brynhildr, is also a human princess. In the Sigrdrífumál (The Ballad of the Victory-Bringer) she's never named, being called simply Sigrdrífa (“Victory-Bringer”), and there are only hints that she isn't a deity; what's more, we're told nothing of her parentage. In the corresponding passage in the Volsunga saga, however, she's identified as Brynhildr, the daughter of King Budli. (Sigrdrífa is also identified with Brynhildr in another heroic lay, Helreið Brynhildar, or Bryndhildr's Ride to Hel.)

Etymology

The word "valkyrie" comes from the Old Norse valkyrja (pl. valkyrjar), from the words valr "the battle-slain" and kyrja "chooser" (a form of kjósa "to choose"); it therefore literally means "choosers of the slain". It is cognate to the Old English "wælcyrige". The German form "Walküre" was coined by Richard Wagner from Old Norse.

Notable valkyries

Various individual valkyries are mentioned in numerous forms of Germanic literature.

Major valkyries

Several valkyries appear as major characters in extant myths.

Brynhildr appears in the Völsunga saga. Her name means "Byrnie of battle."
Hildr appears in the legend of the Hjaðningavíg, which has survived in several sources. Her name means "Battle."
Sigrdrífa appears in Sigrdrífumál. Her name means "She who Drives Victory."
Sigrún appears in Helgakviða Hundingsbana I and Helgakviða Hundingsbana II. Her name means "Knower of Mysteries (or spells) of Victory."
Sváva appears in Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar. Her name means "Suebian".
Ölrún, Svanhvít, and Alvitr appear in Völundarkviða. "Ölrún" means "Knower of the Mysteries (or spells) of Ale."
Þrúðr is a daughter of Thor. Her name means "strength".

Other sources indicate that some other valkyries were notable characters in Norse mythology, such as Gunnr who appears on the Rök Runestone, and Skögul who still appeared on a runic inscription in 13th century Bergen.

Other valkyries

Apart from the well known valkyries above, many more valkyrie names occur in our sources. In the nafnaþulur addition to Snorri's Edda the following strophes are found.

ť Mank valkyrjur

:Viðris nefna. ť Hrist, Mist, Herja,

   Hlökk, Geiravör, ť Göll, Hjörþrimul,

   Gunnr, Herfjötur, ť Skuld, Geirönul,

   Skögul ok Randgníð. ť Ráðgríðr, Göndul,

   Svipul, Geirskögul, ť Hildr ok Skeggöld,

   Hrund, Geirdriful, ť Randgríðr ok Þrúðr,

   Reginleif ok Sveið, ť Þögn, Hjalmþrimul,

   Þrima ok Skalmöld.

ť I'll recite the names

:of the valkyries of Viðrir (Odin). ť Hrist, Mist, Herja,

   Hlökk, Geiravör ť Göll, Hjörþrimul

   Gunnr, Herfjötur ť Skuld, Geirönul

   Skögul and Randgníð. ť Ráðgríðr, Göndul,

   Svipul, Geirskögul, ť Hildr and Skeggöld,

   Hrund, Geirdriful, ť Randgríðr and Þrúðr,

   Reginleif and Sveið, ť Þögn, Hjalmþrimul,

   Þrima and Skalmöld.

In Grímnismál we've Odin reciting the following stanza.

ť Hrist ok Mist

:vil ek at mér horn beri, ť Skeggjöld ok Skögul,

   Hildr ok Þrúðr, ť Hlökk ok Herfjötur,

   Göll ok Geirahöð, ť Randgríð ok Ráðgríð

   ok Reginleif. ť Þær bera einherjum öl.

ť I want Hrist and Mist

:to bring me a horn, ť Skeggjöld and Skögul,

   Hildr and Þrúðr, ť Hlökk and Herfjötur,

   Göll and Geirahöð, ť Randgríð and Ráðgríð

   and Reginleif. ť They carry ale to the einherjar.

In Völuspá there are still more names.

ť Sá hon valkyrjur

:vítt um komnar, ť görvar at ríða

   til Goðþjóðar. ť Skuld helt skildi,

   en Skögul önnur, ť Gunnr, Hildr, Göndul

   ok Geirskögul.

ť She saw valkyries

:come from far and wide, ť ready to ride

   to Goðþjóð. ť Skuld held a shield,

   and Skögul was another, ť Gunnr, Hildr, Göndul

   and Geirskögul.

More are mentioned in Darraðarljóð (lines 1-52), a poem where their connection with the Norns is evident:

ť Vítt er orpit :fyrir valfalli ť rifs reiðiský, rignir blóði ; ť nú er fyrir geirum grár upp kominn ť vefr verþjóðar, er þær vinur fylla ť rauðum vepti Randvés bana.	ť See! warp is stretched :For warriors' fall, ť Lo! weft in loom 'Tis wet with blood; ť Now fight foreboding, 'Neath friends' swift fingers, ť Our grey woof waxeth With war's alarms, ť Our warp bloodred, Our weft corseblue.
ť Sjá er orpinn vefr :ýta þörmum ť ok harðkléaðr höfðum manna ; ť eru dreyrrekin dörr at sköptum, ť járnvarðr yllir, en örum hrælaðr ; ť skulum slá sverðum sigrvef þenna.	ť This woof is y-woven :With entrails of men, ť This warp is hardweighted With heads of the slain, ť Spears blood-besprinkled For spindles we use, ť Our loom ironbound, And arrows our reels; ť With swords for our shuttles This war-woof we work;
ť Gengr Hildr vefa :ok Hjörþrimul, ť Sanngríðr, Svipul sverðum tognum ; ť skapt mun gnesta, skjöldr mun bresta, ť mun hjálmgagarr í hlíf koma.	ť So weave we, weird sisters, :Our warwinning woof. ť Now Warwinner walketh To weave in her turn, ť Now Swordswinger steppeth, Now Swiftstroke, now Storm; ť When they speed the shuttle How spearheads shall flash! ť Shields crash, and helmgnawer On harness bite hard!

ť Vindum, vindum :vef darraðar, ť þann er ungr konungr átti fyrri! ť Fram skulum ganga ok í fólk vaða, ť þar er vinir várir vápnum skipta.	ť Wind we, wind swiftly :Our warwinning woof ť Woof erst for king youthful Foredoomed as his own, ť Forth now we'll ride, Then through the ranks rushing ť Be busy where friends Blows blithe give and take.
ť Vindum, vindum :vef darraðar ť ok siklingi síðan fylgjum! ť Þar sjá bragna blóðgar randir ť Guðr ok Göndul, er grami hlífðu.	ť Wind we, wind swiftly :Our warwinning woof, ť After that let us steadfastly Stand by the brave king; ť Then men shall mark mournful Their shields red with gore, ť How Swordstroke and Spearthrust Stood stout by the prince.
ť Vindum, vindum :vef darraðar, ť þars er vé vaða vígra manna! ť Látum eigi líf hans farask ; ť eigu valkyrjur vals of kosti.	ť Wind we, wind swiftly :Our warwinning woof. ť When sword-bearing rovers To banners rush on, ť Mind, maidens, we spare not One life in the fray! ť We corse-choosing sisters Have charge of the slain.

As can be seen from the above, several of the names exist in different versions. Many of them have a readily apparent warlike meaning - Hjörþrimul, for example, means "battle of swords" while Geirahöð means "battle of spears".
To what an extent this multitude of names ever represented individual mythological beings with separate characteristics is debatable. It is likely that many of them were never more than names and in any case only a few occur in extant myths.

Connections with Freyja

In Gylfaginning of the Prose Edda and the poem Grimnismál of the Poetic Edda, it's said that Freyja receives half of the slain heroes in her hall Fólkvangr, however there are no descriptions about life at Fólkvangr, at least not in surviving tales.
In Skáldskaparmál, Freyja is called "Possessor of the Slain" (Eidandi Valfalls), and in Njal's Saga, another title of Freyja is mentioned: Valfreyja "Mistress of the Chosen", and Mistress of the Valkyries in general (cf. Valfadir, Valkyrja). Snorri Sturluson wrote that "whenever she rides into battles, she gets half of the slain, and Odin half" (The Prose Edda, Gylfaginning (24)) . Freyja is also called Vanadís, which suggests that she's related to the dísir. Like the Valkyries, Freyja also sometimes pours the wine at banquets of the Æsir (The Prose Edda, Skáldskaparmál (17)).

Modern perception

Richard Wagner incorporated Norse tales that included the valkyrie Brünnhilde (Brynhildr) and her punishment and subsequent love for the warrior Siegfried (Sigurðr). These works included his opera Die Walküre, which contains the well known Ride of the Valkyries, as well as others of his oeuvre, Siegfried and Götterdämmerung. These depictions and others have subsequently led to modern representations of valkyries less as figures of death and warfare and more commonly as romanticized, pristine white and gold clad figures riding winged horses.

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