Concept
Norse Mythology
Spirituality & Myth
History & CivilizationsWhat is Norse mythology and how does the Agency editorial use it?
Norse mythology is the body of myths of the peoples of ancient Scandinavia, with gods such as Odin, Thor, Freya and Loki. The Agency editorial borrows its cast for a comic scene in which the gods, dressed in suits and ties, answer a designer's questions about user experience.
In short
The myths of the North Germanic peoples were written down mainly in Iceland in the thirteenth century, in the collections known as the Eddas. Design.3 opens in Valhalla, where the author interviews Freya, the goddess of blessings, love and fertility; Thor, who is trying to fix his hammer Mjolnir; Odin, who keeps the tree Yggdrasil protected and nurtured; and Loki. Zeus is there too, and the author tells him he does not think he is part of Norse mythology.
Key facts
- Which Norse gods appear in the article?
- Freya, presented as the goddess of blessings, love and fertility; Thor, with his hammer Mjolnir; Odin, addressed as the manager of Valhalla; and Loki, who calls himself the god of games.
- Why is Zeus in the scene?
- The author asks him exactly that, saying he does not think Zeus is part of Norse mythology. Zeus answers that Hera seems to be upset with him once again and that he came there looking for her.
- What does Thor complain about?
- About the short grip of his hammer. He calls the dwarven brothers Brok and Eitri terrible designers, because they did not consider his size, and says he keeps getting hit by his own hammer.
What is Norse mythology?
Norse mythology gathers the stories that the peoples of Scandinavia told about the origin of the world, the gods and the end of time. Most of what is known comes from the Eddas, texts written down in Iceland in the thirteenth century. Its best-known figures are Odin, the chief of the gods; Thor, the god of thunder, with his hammer; Freya, associated with love and fertility; and Loki, the trickster. Its world is held together by the tree Yggdrasil.
How does Norse mythology appear in the Agency editorial?
Design.3 uses the gods as interview subjects. The author approaches each one with a question about experience and records the answer and the tone of voice, as in a research report. Thor's answer about the makers of his hammer follows the myth, in which Mjolnir was forged by dwarfs and came out with a short handle.
The scene mixes traditions on purpose. Zeus, from Greek mythology, is found eating ambrosia, and Odin replies in a tone of calmness and sophrosyne, a Greek word. The author treats the mixture as part of the joke before returning to the roles of design.
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
Also from these editions: concepts
Also from these editions: terms
Related terms
- Mjolnirnoun
- In Norse mythology, the hammer of the god Thor, forged by dwarfs and known for its short handle. It is the weapon with which he defends gods and humans.
- Yggdrasilnoun
- In Norse mythology, the immense sacred tree, an ash, whose branches and roots connect the nine worlds and hold the universe together.