Ragnarek - one of the central plotsGerman-Scandinavian mythology. This legend is eschatological - it corresponds to the idea of the coming end of the universe. Its analogues are in any mythology. Scandinavian Ragnarok on this background has many features. For example, in the Christian tradition, the world must perish because of the fall. The mythical Ragnarok says that the end of everything is destined to be fate.
The end of the apocalypse was the death of Baldur -God of light and spring. One day he began to torment bad dreams. The father of the young god - Odin turned to the prophet (velve) and asked him to explain the meaning of the evil signs. The soothsayer announced that Baldr would soon die. Moreover, velva told that his own brother Head would kill God.
Baldr's choice as sacred sacrifice,necessary to start the apocalypse is not accidental. This character is not only the god of spring, but also the sun, as well as life itself. His death is a symbol of the triumph of death and darkness. The myth of the resurrection and dying god of vegetation is not only in Scandinavian, but also in Middle Eastern pagan mythology. In addition, exactly the same was the Greek Dionysus.
The death of the gods - that's how the word is translatedRagnarok. What it is? This is a disaster that overtook the world after the death of Baldr. One gave the answer to the velva to the rest of the gods of Asgard. Baldr's mother, Frigg, took an oath from all things and all living things that they would not harm her son. The intercession has worked. The god of spring and light became invulnerable. Relatives began to amuse themselves by throwing stones at him, chopping him with swords, etc. Baldru really had nothing to do with anything.
But how did under such circumstances happenRagnarek? What it is? The disaster was a consequence of betrayal. God Loki found out from Frigg that she did not take an oath not to harm Baldru from mistletoe. This plant seemed to her too harmless. Loki took escape and persuaded Kheda to throw the plant at his brother. He was blind and did not understand deception. Head threw mistletoe at Baldr, and the victim fell dead to the ground.
According to the famous saga "Younger Edda",Baldr's death was the greatest misfortune for gods and men. This is how the tragedy that led to Ragnarok happened. “What is it?” - this was the question asked by the residents of Asgard. They did not understand what caused the seemingly impossible death of Baldur. Aces plunged into great sadness, after which a terrible winter came. Baldr's wife Nanna died of grief — her heart broke. Spouses laid in the funeral boat and buried by the Scandinavian custom.
Baldr's brother - Hermod - went to the undergroundthe world to ask his mistress Hel to free the ace. The mistress of the underworld agreed to do this on the condition that the dead God will mourn all the living and the dead on earth. Baldra failed to revive because of the giantess Thekk. She was the only one in the whole world who refused to mourn the god of spring. Because of her, Ragnarok came even closer. What it is? The callousness of a giantess? No, in fact, under the guise of it all the same Loki was hiding.
After Baldr's death, Fimbulvetr came -three year terrible winter. According to the prophecy, at its outcome, the giant wolf Fenrir will open the jaws and swallow the sun. Then the world will stir up from earthquakes and floods. But worse than natural disasters will be a massive madness of people and gods. They will abandon the usual rules and unleash a total war of all against all. A kinsman will go to a kinsman, and on each other.
Because of the global cataclysm, the world will be filledall sorts of chthonic monsters. Besides the wolf Fenrir, the serpent Jormungand will appear. From the underworld will sail the ship Naglfar, built from the nails of the dead. Ragnarek will bring many other misfortunes. The description of this apocalypse is known for its sagas. They also say that Loki (previously imprisoned by the gods for his treacherous murder of Baldr) will be released from his prison. An army of giants will appear under the leadership of Surt. Under these giants Bivrest will fall - a rainbow bridge that connects Asgard with the rest of the worlds.
In order to outlive Ragnarok, the gods will gathersquad and go to the Brani field, where the last decisive battle will occur. Each asu will get his opponent. One will face the wolf Fenrir, the sea serpent Jormungand will fight against the Torah, etc. The main antagonist Loki will face off against the guardian of the tree of trees Heimdall.
Aces will be defeated. Fenrir will swallow Odin.Loki and Heimdall will both die, never having determined the strongest. The son of Odin Vidar will avenge his father and break the mouth of Fenrir. At the end of the battle, the whole world will be burned in fire, erupted by Surt. That's when Ragnarek comes. What does this event mean? The answer is obvious: the end of the world. Gods will perish in it, people and in general all alive.
The familiar world created from the body of the ancientand the frost giant Ymir, will disappear. Only the world tree will remain, which will continue to unite and permeate the universe. From his shoots a new world will arise. After that, some of those whom Ragnarok deprived of life will come back to life. The mythology of the Scandinavian and Germanic pagans in this story beats the motive of regeneration, the cyclical nature of the universe and the rebirth of life.
Head and Balder, sons will return from the cloister of the deadTora Magni and Modi, as well as the sons of Odin Vali and Vidar. In the sagas, they are also called "younger gods." In addition to them, Ragnarok will survive a man and a woman. From them come the future human race. At the same time, a new story will be a story not of gods, but of people.
The tale of Ragnarek is folded in the song "The DivinationVelva. " According to various estimates, it appeared around the X century. In the era of European romanticism, this work began to enjoy unprecedented popularity. The story of Ragnarek outlined in his work the famous composer
New time Richard Wagner.In his tetralogy "The Ring of the Nibelung," the gods are engulfed in an insane thirst for gold, due to which the world plunges into a sizzling flame. The operas of the composer turned out to be a real milestone in art. Thanks to Wagner, the expression “Twilight of the Gods” became a phraseologism and is synonymous with a vicious rampant on the eve of the catastrophe.
Another medieval source of information aboutRagnareke - Elder Edda. Her mythological songs are tragic, but at the same time they give up hope for the best. The legend of Ragnarek is the story that the triumph of chaos is short-lived and short-lived. In place of death comes a new life, a renewed world and people. Ragnarok is also a metaphor for the changing seasons. The death of the gods leads to the death of nature and winter, and their return to life occurs with the onset of the next spring.
