Kristen Gogol

Norse Mythology compared to Greek Myths.  They are similar and yet so uniquely different.  Norse Mythology seems a bit more barbaric in the harsh outcomes the stories tell.  Did Greek Myths tone their messages down a bit?  Perhaps it has to do with the society and the times the stories were told.  Norse Mythology comes from a warrior culture whereas Greek Myths come from a more philosophical group.

The Gods in Norse Mythology seem to be less mortal and easier to kill (from God to Titan and God to God) whereas in Greek Myths, Gods can be killed but not as easily as it seems in the stories of the Norse.  Comparing the two styles, Greek Myths also seem more pety and selfish in nature where lust and greed rule their decisions and desires.  They tend to have hissy fits or punish others when the Gods cannot get their way.  There is coniving in both styles where the main coniving character seems to be Loki in Norse Mythology.  Many Gods are coniving via the Greek Myths, there doesn’t seem as focal a character other than Hermes but he seems harmless compared to Loki.

When I started reading Greek Mythology, I immediately became engaged in their stories and noticed that they were an easy read.  Norse Mythology was a little difficult to get into (both had very difficult names to pronounce and remember) but as the readings progressed I began to have a better understanding and familiarity with the characters in the stories and began to appreciate them more.  I quickly learned that Loki is just plain bad news with Norse Mythology and if you see him, run the other way (if you can) otherwise if you have something he wants or needs, he will get it one way or the other.  He can even shape shift and has sneaky ways of getting into places that are considered sealed.  If he is not afraid to steal or cause trouble with the Gods, there is no hope for the human mortals.

Thor has made a comeback from Norse Mythology and is a very popular character amongst the comic book fanatics.  Fenrir also has been used both in comic books and video games.  Loki would make a fantastic character for any modern day television show in any format.  It took me awhile to get into the Norse Mythology stories and I’m glad I gave them a chance!  They are great stories (although some are very scary).