I have always been fascinated with the role of women from ancient mythology to modern history. Anything from the depiction of women as omniscient Norse goddesses, to their subservience throughout the Victorian era, to the modern prevalence of female empowerment, never fails to intrigue me. I chose to explore Norse goddesses for my research blog, to indulge in my curiosity for a greater comprehension of these paramount women who were extremely prominent throughout Norse mythology. Through this research blog, I plan to illustrate the implications of Norse goddesses as a significant archetype for the times in which the mythological tales were first written, and for modern society. As I began my research of Norse goddesses I was enchanted by the many characteristics that are exhibited by the goddesses, and the archetypal representations that they present. “The Goddess is a recognized Archetype in itself and embodies wisdom, nurturing, guidance, physical grace, athletic prowess and sensuality. The shadow aspects of the Goddess manifests as extreme self-indulgence and vanity” (“Definition of Archetypes-Goddess-Guide”). Further research of Norse goddesses confirms goddesses often represent many archetypes that exist today such as The Nun, Prostitute, Queen, Rescuer, scribe, Servant, Shapeshifter, Teacher, Virgin, Visionary ,Warrior and the Witch” (“Definition of Archetypes-Goddess-Guide”). Early research of Norse goddesses introduced many distinguished goddess figures that I was previously unaware of. These include “Freyja, the goddess of beauty, war and sexuality”, “Hel, the goddess of death”, “Frigg, the patron of marriage and motherhood, and the goddess of love and fertility”, and “Idun, the goddess of eternal youth” (“Norse Gods and Goddesses-Crytalinks”). Through my research, I plan to explore, analyze, and apply the archetypes of Norse goddesses to themes of today.
References:
"Definition of Archetypes-Goddess-Guide." Goddess Myths,Traditions And Wisdom From Around The Globe.Goddess-Guide.com. Web. 29 Oct. 2010. <http://www.goddess-guide.com/archetypes.html>.
"Norse Gods and Goddesses - Crystalinks." Crystalinks Home Page. Web. 30 Oct. 2010. <http://www.crystalinks.com/norsegods.html>.
"Religious Symbols." Computational Geometry Lab. Web. 01 Nov. 2010. <http://cg.scs.carleton.ca/~luc/religion.html>.
