HOW ODIN LOST HIS EYE - A BEDTIME STORY OR A MORAL LESSON?
If you are fans of Marvel Studio, I am sure that you know about Odin, father of Thor, but have you ever wondered “how Odin lost his eye”?
In fact, Odin is the lord of gods in Norse mythology, his right eye was gouged out and covered by a patch. Now, let scroll down your mouse and discover the reason why Odin lost his eye and "how Odin lost his eye"
Odin in the movie "Thor: Ragnarök"
Some facts about Odin you may want to know
Before reading about how Odin lost his eye and some moral lessons that we can learn from him, you may be interested in further information about Odin and how Odin plays a vital role in the Viking’s life. The Vikings is known as one of the strongest warriors in the past and Odin is the god of war so that the Vikings respect Odin and workship him the most.
Odin is the supreme deity
Odin is the All-father of other gods in Norse mythology and he is the very first god to exist.
According to the Vikings, Odin created the earth, the sky, humans and any living creatures.
The Vikings worshiped Odin so much because they believed that Odin decided who won the battles. Odin would send his ravens to a team as a signal of the winner.
The Vikings had the faith about Valhalla- a castle for fallen heroes. After dying in battles, the Viking warrior would be brought to Valhalla castle by Valkyrie- the three goddesses of war. That why they always fight against their enemies bravely. In Valhalla, they continuously fight to protect Asgard.
Is Odin just a god of war?
You might feel appalling about Odin because he is a god of war, but more than that, he is also the god of poetry and wisdom.
Odin drank a cup of nectar every day. This is the magic nectar which makes people become more artistic. Odin used to drop three drops of nectar into Midgard. Three lucky people drank it accidentally then became famous rhymesters.
Odin’s powerful pets
Huginn and Muninn are the ravens of Odin. The birds flew across the world and tell the news to Odin every day. Odin often stays on his throne, watches the lively world and hears everything which told by the ravens.
A pair of wolves who always sitting near Odin. The wolves are the symbol of power, strength, and supremacy.
Odin usually rides Sleipnir- an eight-leg horse in long journeys. Sleipnir can run faster than the fastest wind. This horse was born by Loki and a donkey of a giant.
Other Facts about Odin
- Odin’s relationship
Odin is the son of Borr and Bestla. He also has two brothers Vili and Vé.
Odin married Frigg and had three sons Baldur, Hod, and Hermod.
Thor is the son of Odin and Jord- the earth goddess.
- Odin and Wednesday
Wednesday- a day in a week, is named from Odin. Odin is also called Woden in the old language. Wednesday means Woden’s day.
How Odin lost his eye
According to Norse mythology, the world was divided into 3 main parts: Asgard- home of gods, Midgard- where normal people live and Niflheim- the underworld. These three world and six other worlds are on the Tree Yggdrasil. The story of "how Odin lost his eye" begins in Midgard.
Picture 3. The well of Mimir is on the surface of Midgard
The story of how Odin lost his eye
Odin- the Allfather, wanted to own the True Wisdom. He traveled to Midgard in order to find the Well of Mimir. Mimir was the most intelligent man in the world because he drank water from the well every morning. Mimir is also the guard of the well so that no one can drink water from the well without his permission.
Odin, with his eager for owning True Wisdom, asked Mimir for a cup of water. Mimir requested Odin to sacrifice an eye to take charge of water from the well.
Odin accepted Mimir’s request. Then, Odin gouged out his right eye and throw it into the well. After that, Odin could drink the water and he became the owner of True Wisdom.
That is the story to explain "how Odin lost his eye".
The moral lesson behind the story of how Odin lost his eye
Norse mythology is popular in some countries like Denmark, Norway, Iceland, etc. Children often hear these Norse's gods stories from their parents as bedtime stories. The story of "how Odin lost his eye" is one of them. More than that, is it just a story to tell children?
As you know, any fairy tales or myths often have their own lesson behind, and the story about Odin’s eye is not different.
- Be prepared to pay for wisdom
Getting a hold of knowledge always has a price. Odin's sacrifice himself in the myth is as same as the way we pay for education.
- A lot of choices for you on the journey to wisdom
There are many ways to gain wisdom. We can get wisdom from life, from our experience and from our thirst for knowledge.
- You are not alone on the way to wisdom
You should keep learning. Odin has two ravens who can tell him everything he wants to know. On the other hand, we have the internet, our friends and co-workers or partners who can teach us anything.
In conclusion, Odin is a Norse mythology character who plays a significant role in the Vikings life. From the story about "how Odin lost his eye", we can learn further moral lessons through his life, his sacrifice and his eagerness for knowledge. That is some sides about Odin, I hope you can get new sight and be interested in the All-father of gods in Viking's notion.
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