Many people know the name Midgard, but, as a rule, people have a vague idea of these lands. Midgard is not just human land - it is a whole world located in the middle of all the others and having a close connection with otherworldly spaces and forces. This is one of the most important worlds in German-Scandinavian mythology. It is here that the greatest battle of all living beings will ever happen. Midgard is not just a world inhabited by mortal people, it is a real arena for the most important peaceful and military operations.
Nine worlds
German-Scandinavian mythology suggests a cyclopean way of creating space from the bowels of the Ginnungagap global abyss. In time immemorial, the giant Imir, the first living creature in the world, was born from the sparks of Muspelheim and the frost of Niflheim. From his body the gods Odin, Willy and Be — the mighty brothers who created the earth, heaven and Jotunheim — the overseas kingdom of the giants — the Jotuns — arose.
So nine worlds came about: Midgard, Asgard, Helheim and many others, which together represent a single system of reality.
- Asgard is a heavenly country of aces.
- Vanaheim - The World of Van.
- Jotunheim - the world of the Jotun giants, located east of Midgard.
- Llesalvheim - the world of light Alves.
- Midgard is the land of people.
- Muspellheim is a fiery country, which is guarded by the black giant Surt.
- Niflheim is a world of ice and darkness that existed in Ginnungagap even before the creation of the world.
- Svartalvheim - the underground country of the Zwergs.
- Helheim is the kingdom of the dead, where Hel rules.
High above the flat earth, the gods created Asgard, the heavenly land of the aces gods. The gods did not get along with the Jotuns and tried to isolate them from themselves as reliably as possible. So Jotunheim was created - the country of the Jotuns.
Outside the boundaries of the creation of the three worlds by the gods lies the kingdom of Utgarde - the external world, sometimes identified with Jotunham. A mere mortal is not able to get there.
In view of some of the sins of the aces, the kingdom of Helheim also arose - the underworld, which is ruled by the goddess Hel - the daughter of Loki.
So the triad of the cosmogonic world was created:
- Asgard - the world of the gods, the sky.
- Midgard - the middle world, the earth.
- Helheim - the underworld, hell.
These three worlds form the basis of the universe. The rest of the worlds are also indispensable and important, but it is Asgard, Midgard and Helheim that are the main parallels of the existing universe of German-Scandinavian mythology.
The main triad
One of the three main roots of the world Tree of Yggdrasil is directed to Asgard. Ases were creatures of order who waged war with the Van - creatures of nature. Later, the aces and vanes agreed and united, exchanging “representatives” or hostages: thus van Niyodr came to the aces. Since then, they live side by side. In addition to the goddesses and gods, Asgard is inhabited by the Valkyries - warrior virgins.
Having created people, the gods settled them in the middle world, separated from the jotuns by a wall created from the eyelashes of the slain giant Ymir. So the world of Midgard appeared, the name of which means "middle fenced space." Midgard is also called the middle lands, otherwise - the Middle Earth. The gods of Asgard favored Midgard, connecting the world of people with Asgard with a rainbow bridge. Human lands are located on a flat circle, surrounded by the waters of the oceans, at the bottom of which lies Ermungand - the world snake Midagrad, ringing the world with his body, holding his own tail in his teeth - is another child of Loki. One of the chthonic monsters of German-Scandinavian mythology along with Fenrir, Garm and many others.
The world of the dead is one of the three main worlds. The cold kingdom, where all the dead go, with the exception of the heroes of Midgard, adopted in the Einheria. Helheim is located in Niflheim, at the lowest level of the universe, surrounded by the Gyol River, which cannot be crossed. None of those who entered Helheim will be able to return back - even the gods. The kingdom is in custody of the monstrous dog Garm and the giantess Modgood. The only one who visited Helheim and was able to return is Hermond. According to legend, on the day of Ragnarok, Hel herself will sail out of Helheim on the Naglfar ship for war with the Ases. On this terrible day, all life will come together in battle: the gods, and the Van, and the Jotun, and the chthonic creatures, and the Vikings - Midgard wolves.
The most ancient worlds
Muspelheim - the kingdom of fiery jotuns under the protection of black Surt. In recent times, during Ragnarok, the sons of Muspell will cross the mysterious Dark Forest of Murkwid, arrive at Bivrest - the rainbow bridge - and destroy it with their powerful leaps. Conventionally, in the spatial structure of Muspelheim corresponds to the south. By the way, this is the second world after Nilfheim, which existed even before the beginning of time. From his sparks arose not only the world's first living giant Ymir, but also all the stars. Some of them were strengthened by aces motionless, while others they installed so that they moved in a circle around the world in one year.
Niflheim - the abode of fogs, the land of ice, cold and ice giants. This world at the beginning of time was located north of the abyss of Ginnungagap. According to legend, the Hwelhelmir spring once scored here. Niflheim’s frost turned the water into ice floes, but the spring hit without stopping, so that blocks of ice moved to Muspelheim, and when the ice got too close to the kingdom of fire, it began to melt. Sparks flying from fiery lands mixed with melt water and breathed life into it. And so the first living creature Ymir appeared - the frost giant.
Other worlds
Vanaheim is the land of the Van Gods, which is located west of Midgard. The Vanas are much more ancient and wise gods than the aces, with whom they either fight or make peace.
Jotunheim is inhabited by the giants of the Jotuns, located east of Midgard, separated by the River Yving. King Trim rules these lands. The main settlement of Jotunheim is called Utgard. With the giants, the gods never made an alliance defending their worlds from them. The element of Jotunheim is the earth: some of the Jotuns live in the stone mountains. From here came the Norn - special creatures that can determine the fate of the world. With their arrival, the golden age ended in the world, time was divided into the past, present and future, death and birth arose.
Llesalvheim is the birthplace of the light Alves. In early Germanic-Scandinavian mythology, the Alves called the beautiful, ageless, magical race that lived, like humans, on Earth. Later mythology declared them natural spirits that inhabit the earth, air, forests and mountains. Later alvami began to be called a variety of creatures - and elves, and dwarves.
Svartalfaheim - the birthplace of the tsvergs, creatures that emerged from the worms in the rotting meat of Ymir. Ases created this world at the same time as Llesalfaheim in order to settle these dwarfs separately from people. At first, they were indeed worms, but they acquired a human appearance and mind by the will of aces. Tsvergs also live in the earth and stones. Their world is underground, between Midgard and Helheim.
Midgard
Midgard is the middle world of people, the main feature of which is that it is inhabited only by mortal beings. In addition, the Jotuns, for example, being from Jotunheim, may well come to the neighboring world, just as aces or Vanes are able to visit Midgard and feel quite comfortable. For people, it is an extremely difficult task to get into any other world - at least in life.
The story of the occurrence of Middle-earth is quite specific: Odin, Willy and Be once killed the giant Ymir in order to create a new world from him, Midgard. From his body, flesh, hair and other parts, according to the legends of the Vikings, now known lands were created. Seas were created from Ymir’s blood, his teeth became rocks, bones became mountains. Forests grew from Ymir’s hair, clouds from the brain, and from the skull - the vault of heaven.
Midgard rings the terrible serpent Yormungand with his body, which Thor often fights with. Also, the world is fenced from the kingdom of the giants by a wall created from Ymir's eyelashes. However, the wall is imperfect, so the population of Midgard cannot remain completely safe, therefore Thor and other gods have to protect the mortal world in order to save them from many misfortunes.
Midgard is the land of mortals, but initially this world was to become a battleground when the terrible time of Ragnarok came. Then the lands will plunge into the icy cold, for the great winter of Fimbulwinter will come. When the sons of Muspelheim headed by Hel fight the aces in the final battle, Midgard will be destroyed. A new earth will arise from the oceans. But the “Divination of the Velva” does not mention any “new” or “other” Midgard - it is rather a symbolic degeneration of human land. According to legend, two people will be saved by a miracle: Liv and Livtrasir. In Edda it is indicated that they will hide in the Hoddmimir grove, but nowhere is it said where it is located: perhaps even in other worlds.
It is important to note that, in theory, the entire Midgard is visible from the throne of Odin, which is called Khlidskjalva. This throne allows everyone - even a mortal - to see every corner of Midgard in full view. The idea of an "all-seeing" ace - Odin - was to some extent fundamental in Midgard's Viking society. The all-knowing and all-seeing One knew about all the things that people do, so the Viking, who was about to do a bad thing, knew: One would see everything, and the path to Valhalla would be closed to him. Thus, being under the supervision of aces, people tried not to commit evil deeds, knowing that nothing could be concealed.
Midgard - the lands are unique, because from them you can get into any of the realities friendly and hostile to Asgard. Other worlds do not have this property - for that the world of people is called the middle one.
Moon midgard
Midgard has its own astronomy. Interestingly, the scriptures say that in ancient times Midgard had more than one moon. The Small Moon was called Lelei, it wrapped around the Earth in 7 days, and there was also the Big Moon, which was called the Month - the period of its rotation was 29.5 days. Chronicles of Midgard say that during the time of Great Assa, foreign lands were destroyed by dark forces. Deya - the fifth planet of the Solar System - was destroyed, and its remains made up the Asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Since then 153 368 years have passed. Then the Heavenly Force sent a dying population with dark-skinned skin to Midgard, placing the people on the African continent and on the Hindustan - it was this climate that corresponded to their native. The moon called Fatta Heavenly Forces was transferred from the deceased Dei to Midgard - so the Earth received the third moon. The period of its rotation was 13 days.
The destruction of Lelia caused the First Great Flood. After the waters and the fragments of Lely fell on Midgard, the appearance of the lands changed. Since then, the custom appeared on the day of Heavenly Heaven to paint eggs and beat them against each other, which symbolized the falling fragments of the moon on the earth.
Fatta was destroyed 13 thousand years ago, and its fragment fell into the Pacific Ocean - it is believed that Atlantis died during this event.
The Sun and the Moon were of great importance to Midgard. According to them, people determined the time, calendar months, and also generally studied the firmament, learning astronomy and many other sciences. The Moon and the Sun for Midgard are guides in the vast ocean of secret knowledge that the gods themselves left to them, so that the people do not get lost in pitch darkness.
Ragnarok
As already mentioned, the land of Midgard is surrounded with its long body by the World Serpent Yormungand. It represents one of the variations of Ouroboros - one of the most ancient and controversial symbols of world culture. As a rule, it symbolizes infinity.
The Midgard Serpent does not so much protect the world as it threatens it. At the end of time, Jormungand will have to emerge from the abyss of the sea and pounce on the world, the defense of which will be the god of thunder and lightning Thor. The arrival of the snake will cause terrible floods, after which there will come a terrible three-year winter - Fibulwinter. The Sun will go out, all the stars will disappear from the sky, the world will plunge into darkness, while the gods and giants will enter the final battle - Ragnarok.
According to legend, the gods will be able to defeat monsters and giants, but they will die. The World Tree of Yggdrasil will fall and drop the sky to the earth. The sword of the giant Surt will burn the perishing world, and Midgard will drown in the salty waves of the world's oceans.
But this is not the end of the human world: a new firmament will rise from the depths of the ocean. She will be ruled by worthy gods who have not made mistakes, and renewed, happy people - in peace, wealth and happiness.
Sources
The main source of knowledge about Midgard, Asgard and other worlds of Scandinavian mythology are the works “Elder Edda” and “Younger Edda”, the first of which is poetic, and the second is prosaic. Snorri Sturluson wrote them in the 12th century. Around the same time period, the Dane Saxon Grammatic created the “Acts of the Danes”, in which he transmitted many plots of local myths and legends. Also, some valuable information is available in the "Germany" of Tacitus.
Nowadays, there are almost no reliable sources of information about the structure of German-Scandinavian mythology. The few works are quite vague and contradictory. That is why the study of this layer of mythology is so difficult.
Midgard in Culture
The concept of Midgard has had a great impact on culture.
In the famous work of J. R. R. Tolkien, the word "Middle-earth" is used, which comes from the name "Midgard" - the middle lands.
Midgard penetrated into a more modern culture: computer games. In the game Final Fantasy VII, the city where the hero’s adventure began was named. Interestingly, on the world map Midgard is located in its very center.
In another computer game - Ex Machina - this name was given to a high-tech city.
Events also occur in a state called Midgard in the games Magicka and Magicka 2.
Part of the action of the game God Of War takes place in Midgard.
This word has become the general name of the world of people, already in isolation from any mythology. But anyway, some stories return to other elements of Scandinavian legends.
