in progress
This is a description of the ideas of the personified night and day and the origins of the sun and the moon.
text
Gylf ch. 10b
10b. Day and night, sun and moon.
Nörfi eða Narfi hét jötunn er... | 'Norfi or Narfi was the name ... |
[status: unverified copy]
commentary
context
Gylfaginning, which is part of Snorra Edda, was composed in Iceland in the 13th century, and holds the stories of many of the Pre-Christian myths of northern Europe. It is believe to have been composed by the Icelander Snorri Sturlusson. Snorra Edda consists of three separate parts, Gylfaginning, Skaldskápamáland Háttatal, all functioning together as a greater work and guide for the aspiring medieval poet and storyteller.
commentary
Sól is described in Eddic mythology as a goddess among the Æsir, personified as the sun (EN: Sun, ON: Sól), as can be seen in Grímnismál 37 and Vafþrúðnismál 23. The sun as a symbol in religious imagery is frequent through prehistory, seen in such as Scandinavian Bronze age rock carvings as well as the sun chariot from Trundholm, Denmark with the image of a sun drawn by a horse in a chariot. Following the story recorded by Snorri as well as in Grímnismál, this idea is also represented, where the horses of Dagr (EN: Day) and Nott (En: Night), Skinfaxi and Hrímfaxi, pull them across the sky in their chariots. Skinfaxi and Hrímfaxi are also mentioned in Vafþrúðnismál 12,14. A strong connection between the symbol of the sun and ships are also reoccurring from Bronze age imagery all the way into medieval times and may connect to the myth and cultic activity connected to strong ideas of fertility, mythologically represented by Njörðr, Freyr and Skiðblaðnir.
Simek, Rudolf (2007), Transl: Angela Hall. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. Cambridge: D.S. Brewer. pp. 159, 289-290, 297
(Contributed by Liv Marit Aurdal.)
tags
Main text: Gylfaginning
Attributes: Female Battle Wagon Landscape Giants Giantess Heaven Death Female beings VB Wolf Female deity Æsir Creation
Named things:
Text sections: SnSt, Gylf ch. 10b