Greek and Norse Mythology Compared and Contrasted
Greek and Norse Mythology Compared and Contrasted University of Phoenix
Thomas Sanders
COM/170
February 4, 2013
Danita Lloyd
Greek and Norse Mythology Compared and Contrasted
Mythology of any religion may be easy to compare and contrast against another mythological religion. However, Greek and Norse Mythology could easily be the most interesting. Greek and Norse came from two very different eras; they have many similarities as well as many differences in areas such as their creation, their names, their abilities, their habitat and their influences.
The ways in which the Gods came into creation have much to do with the era in which they were born. For instance in Greek Mythology the Titans, whose creation came from Gaea and Uranus, were the first among the Gods. The Titans then gave birth to the first Greek Gods; Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, and Ares to name a few. After becoming tiresome of their bloodthirsty appetite for destruction, Zeus led his brothers into enslaving their parents. From that point on all Greek Gods, Goddess, Demigods, Spirits, and other minor God’s creations came from chaos. In Norse Mythology Ymir and a cow named Audhumia had been the first created. The cow survived off licks from a salty ice block, that later created Bur. From the nutrition that the cow gathered from licking the salty ice block, she produced milk that ensured Ymir survived. Bur produced an offspring known as Borr. Borr later produced a son known as Odin who defeated the frost giant Ymir. According to "About.com" (2013), “From Ymir’s dead body Odin created the world using his blood as the sea, his flesh as the earth, his skull as the sky, his bones as the mountains, and his hair as trees. This world would be known as Midgard.”
The different names and abilities of the mythological Gods contributed to the ways in which the people worshiped and gave tribute to each God. According to "About.com" (2013), “Zeus is father of gods and men. A sky god, he controls lightning,
Thomas Sanders
COM/170
February 4, 2013
Danita Lloyd
Greek and Norse Mythology Compared and Contrasted
Mythology of any religion may be easy to compare and contrast against another mythological religion. However, Greek and Norse Mythology could easily be the most interesting. Greek and Norse came from two very different eras; they have many similarities as well as many differences in areas such as their creation, their names, their abilities, their habitat and their influences.
The ways in which the Gods came into creation have much to do with the era in which they were born. For instance in Greek Mythology the Titans, whose creation came from Gaea and Uranus, were the first among the Gods. The Titans then gave birth to the first Greek Gods; Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, and Ares to name a few. After becoming tiresome of their bloodthirsty appetite for destruction, Zeus led his brothers into enslaving their parents. From that point on all Greek Gods, Goddess, Demigods, Spirits, and other minor God’s creations came from chaos. In Norse Mythology Ymir and a cow named Audhumia had been the first created. The cow survived off licks from a salty ice block, that later created Bur. From the nutrition that the cow gathered from licking the salty ice block, she produced milk that ensured Ymir survived. Bur produced an offspring known as Borr. Borr later produced a son known as Odin who defeated the frost giant Ymir. According to "About.com" (2013), “From Ymir’s dead body Odin created the world using his blood as the sea, his flesh as the earth, his skull as the sky, his bones as the mountains, and his hair as trees. This world would be known as Midgard.”
The different names and abilities of the mythological Gods contributed to the ways in which the people worshiped and gave tribute to each God. According to "About.com" (2013), “Zeus is father of gods and men. A sky god, he controls lightning,
References: About.com. (2013). Retrieved from http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/grecoromanmyth1/p/Zeus.htm About.com. (2013). Retrieved from http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/religionmyth/p/GreekDeities.htm About.com. (2013). Retrieved from /http://ancienthistory.about.com/sitesearch.htm?q=where+did+norse+gods+live&SUName=ancienthistory