Valkyries - Definition


Valkyries - Definition

This article is about the Valkyries, figures of Norse mythology. There is another article on the North American XB-70 Valkyrie aircraft and the fictional VF-1 Valkyrie aircraft.

The Valkyrie's Vigil by Edward Robert Hughes

The Valkyries ("choosers of the slain", alternative spelling: Walkyries, Old Norse valkyrja, pl. valkyrjur, Walachuri� (Old High German), Valakusj� (Gothic), w�lcyrge (OE)) are figures of Norse mythology. Lesser goddesses (dís, pl. dísir) who are usually depicted as beautiful shieldmaidens on winged horses, armed with helmets and spears.

However, valkyrie horse was a kenning for wolf (see e.g. R�k Stone), so contrary to the stereotype they did not ride mounts of the pegasus kind. Their horses were rather the packs of wolves that frequented the corpses of dead warriors.

Whereas the wolf was the Valkyrie's horse, the Valkyrie herself was, quite unromantically represented by the raven[1] (http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/valkyrie.htm). Consequently the packs of wolves and ravens that took care of what remained after battle served a higher purpose.

This purpose was to choose the most heroic of those who have died in battle (called Einherjar), and to carry them off to Valhalla. This was necessary because Odin needed warriors to fight at his side at the preordained battle at the end of the world, Ragnarok.

The origin of the Valkyries is not given in extant texts.

Missing image
ValkyrieOnHorse.jpg

"Sinding Valkyrie", a modern statue presenting a more active image in a Copenhagen, Denmark park

List of the Valkyries:

Brunhilde (ON Brynhildr; appears in the V�lsunga saga, confused or identified with the Valkyrie Sigardrifa.
Geirsk�gul
G�ll (ON Gǫll)
G�ndul (ON Gǫndul)
Gunn (ON Guðr or Gunnr, chooser of the slain, mentioned in several sources)
Herfjoturr (ON Herfjǫturr; caused the paralysis of defeat)
Hildr (Battle Valkyrie)
Hladgunnr (ON Hlaðgunnr)
Hlokk (ON Hlǫkk)
Hrist (served the einherjar in Valhalla)
Mist (served the einherjar in Valhalla)
Rota (ON R�ta; chooser of the slain)
Skuld (Norn and chooser of the slain)
Sigrdrifa (ON Sigrdr�fa)
Sigr�n (mentioned in Helgakviða Hundingsbana II)
Skagull (ON Skǫgul; filled Odin's horn with mead)
Skeggjald (ON Skeggjǫld)
Svafa (ON Sv�fa)
Thrud (ON Þr�ðr; a daughter of Thor's who served the einherjar in Valhalla).

Richard Wagner incorporated Norse tales that included the Valkyrie Br�nhilde (Brynhild) and her punishment and subsequent love for the warrior Siegfried (Sigurd) into his operas Die Walk�re and G�tterd�mmerung. In Wagner's treatment the Valkyries are nine daughters of Wotan (Odin) and Erda (J�rd) 'Earth' and are named: Br�nnhilde, Helmwige, Ortlinde, Gerhilde, Waltraute, Siegrune, Rossweisse, Grimgerde, and Schwertleite.

See also