Gone Medieval: Odin, Asgard & the Norse Gods
Podcast: Gone Medieval (History Hit)
Episode Air Date: October 7, 2025
Host: Dr. Eleanor Janega & Matt Lewis
Guests: Professor Carolyne Larrington (Old Norse literature expert), with storytelling interludes from "King Gylfi"
Overview
In this richly detailed episode, Gone Medieval ventures deep into Norse mythology to explore the figure of Odin, the enigmatic All-Father, and the celestial realm of Asgard. Setting Norse myth in context, the hosts and their guest, Professor Carolyne Larrington, traverse legendary tales—Odin’s search for wisdom, the cosmic World Tree, mythic wars, and the complex relationships of the gods. Storytelling from "King Gylfi," extracted from the medieval sagas, brings these ancient myths vividly to life.
Listeners are treated to both the mythic storytelling tradition and scholarly insight, balancing legendary narratives with historical and literary analysis. The episode stands out for unpacking Odin’s motivations, quirks, and contradictions, while also expanding to other important Norse deities and the structure of the Norse cosmos.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Introduction to Norse Mythology & Odin
- The podcast is currently exploring Norse myths, focusing on their legendary origins and cosmic drama (03:50).
- King Gylfi, a legendary saga figure, introduces listeners to the gods through vivid storytelling:
“He is the All Father, Odin, the highest and oldest of the gods. Though he is known by many different names, he is the keeper of secrets, ruler of all things, and birthed war into the world.”
(02:52, King Gylfi)
2. The Cosmology: Nine Worlds and Yggdrasil
- King Gylfi sets out the norse cosmos, with nine worlds held together by Yggdrasil, the World Tree (05:43):
- Realms include:
- Niflheim (mist/the underworld), Muspelheim (fire), Jotunheim (giants), Hel (land of the dead), Midgard (humans), Alfheim (elves), Nidavellir (dwarves), Vanaheim (Vanir gods), Asgard (Aesir gods).
- The cosmic order is precarious, defined by opposing forces: gods and giants, flame and frost.
- The Norns, three maidens at the World Tree’s base, carve destinies into its bark.
- Realms include:
3. Odin's Endless Quest for Knowledge
- Odin’s defining trait is his insatiable desire for wisdom:
- He sacrifices his eye at Mimir’s well in exchange for wisdom.
- Undergoes a ritual ordeal, hanging on Yggdrasil for nine nights to learn the secrets of the runes and magic.
“…chained himself to the trunk of Yggdrasil… for nine days and nine nights in the dark. But as agony closed, Odin’s mind awoke and the runes revealed their heart.”
(05:43-14:45, King Gylfi)
4. The First War in the World: Aesir vs. Vanir
- The Aesir (Odin’s tribe) and the Vanir (wise gods of magic, fertility) wage war, sparked by suspicion and the mistreatment of Freya.
- Neither side prevails; a truce is reached with an exchange of hostages, blending their societies (05:43-14:45).
“For it was he who hurled the first spear and brought strife into the world. He who won the runes through suffering, and yet set the Nine Realms aflame with war.”
(14:34, King Gylfi)
5. Who is Odin? Scholar Perspective
- Professor Larrington discusses Odin’s multifaceted status:
- God of war, poetry, wisdom; husband of Frigg; father to Thor, Baldr, and others (15:08).
- Myth vs. medieval re-interpretation:
- In some Christianized accounts (notably by Snorri Sturluson), Odin and the Aesir are said to be refugees from Troy, Euhemerizing the gods as historical human figures.
“Snorri… tells us that Odin… is a refugee from Troy. …because they had superior Eastern technology and a degree of magic…the credulous Scandinavians began to worship them.”
(15:08-17:36, Prof. Larrington)
6. The Meaning & Attributes of Odin
- Name: Derived from an adjective meaning ‘fury’ or wild inspiration (18:37).
- Traits:
- Elderly, one-eyed, shapeshifter, wanderer.
- Cultivates relationships with kings, heroes, poets.
“He’s normally depicted as being old and being one-eyed...He travels around mankind much more often than any of the other gods, who mostly don’t seem to be bothered about mankind.”
(19:41, Prof. Larrington) - Patron of poetry (the mead of poetry), which he steals from the giants through trickery (21:39).
- His pursuit of knowledge is relentless, motivated in part by the desire to alter or escape fate—especially the prophecy of Ragnarok (25:13).
7. Odin’s Menagerie & Mystical Companions
- Accompanied by ravens, Huginn ("thought") and Muninn ("memory"), who bring him daily reports from the world (29:10).
- Two wolves, Geri and Freki, sit by his side (29:10).
- Rides an eight-legged horse, Sleipnir (30:31).
8. Complexity, Contradictions, and Human-Like Morality
- Odin is a complex, paradoxical figure:
- At times compassionate, at others deceitful or harsh, even with his human proteges (31:11–34:11).
“Odin is very multifaceted in this relationship with kings. He will come and say, you are my chosen one and you should have this throne, but he also takes it away from you.”
(33:58, Prof. Larrington)
- At times compassionate, at others deceitful or harsh, even with his human proteges (31:11–34:11).
- His blessing usually comes with a price.
9. Frigg and the Role of Goddesses
- Frigg: Odin’s wife, goddess of marriage and motherly love.
- Noted for her wisdom, foresight, and interventions in myth (41:11).
- Compared to Greek Hera, but her domain is less rigidly defined, reflecting less systemized worship and the fragmentary survival of Norse lore.
- The story of Baldr’s death emphasizes Frigg’s protective, motherly aspect, and the tragic ‘mistletoe exception’ (41:11–44:59).
10. Other Norse Gods & Mythic Geography
- Other deities discussed:
- Freya, Freyr, Njord, Skadi—each with unique domains and mythic ‘halls’ within Asgard or related areas (47:42–51:06).
- Gods’ realms reflect a ‘chieftain’s hall’ logic; Asgard and Vanaheim are country-like domains with individual great halls.
- The World Tree’s vertical structure unites realms, with gods’ domains existing horizontally and vertically (54:33–57:06).
11. Gods visiting Mortals; Humans and the Divine Barrier
- Odin often visits humanity in disguise, meddling in the affairs of mortals, especially to recruit heroes for Valhalla (58:41–62:24).
- Humans, by contrast, have little access to the gods’ world, reinforcing the hierarchy and otherness of divinity.
12. The Morality and Fate of the Gods
- The gods’ behavior is often morally ambiguous, mirroring human vices and virtues.
"...the gods turn out to be very much like humans, to have passions, to have hates, to have loves, to be jealous, to be vengeful, to hold grudges, but also to behave nobly on occasion."
(74:59, Prof. Larrington) - The story of Asgard's wall, built by a giant master builder tricked by Loki, exemplifies oath-breaking and its cosmic consequences (66:41–74:07).
- Such myths suggest the gods’ own failings lay the groundwork for their doom at Ragnarok.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On the All-Father:
“Such is the All Father, a bringer of knowledge, but also of chaos, a seeker of truth, yet never free from envy and hunger.” (14:34, King Gylfi)
-
On Odin’s name:
“Woden ides furo, that is fury. But it may be that he’s capable of producing a kind of battle craziness in warriors connected with his function as God of war.”
(18:37, Prof. Larrington) -
On Poetic Inspiration:
“…Odin not only gives mankind poetry, but he also produces this writing technology which is going to turn out to be so important for—particularly for memorializing people. Runes are most often used on memorial rune stones across Scandinavia.”
(21:39, Prof. Larrington) -
On gods’ fallibility:
“It tells us a lot about how society functions and what matters… Well, yes, it’s possible to circumvent your oaths, but it even causes problems for the gods when they attempt it. So a lesson for all of us, I suppose.”
(71:13, Matt Lewis)
Timestamps for Notable Segments
- Introduction & Setting the Scene: 03:50–05:43
- King Gylfi’s Story (Creation, Odin’s Wisdom): 05:43–14:45
- Interview Begins (Who is Odin?): 14:45
- Odin’s attributes, poetry, knowledge: 18:37–25:13
- Odin and Mimir’s well, nature of sacrifice: 25:13–29:00
- Odin’s animal companions: 29:00–30:07
- Odin the enigma, god-ancestor theme: 31:11–34:11
- Frigg and the Norse goddesses: 41:11–44:59
- Geography & “topography” of the gods: 51:06–54:33
- Asgard and the Nine Worlds explained: 54:33–57:06
- Odin among mortals, the sword in the tree: 58:41–62:24
- Gods’ oath-breaking, building Asgard’s wall: 66:41–74:07
- Pantheons and the human nature of gods: 74:07–76:04
Conclusion
The episode delivers a fascinating, layered look at Norse mythology—balancing spellbinding mythic storytelling with scholarly discussion. Odin emerges as a deeply complex, ambiguous figure, embodying wisdom, war, poetry, and restlessness—the ultimate seeker, but also a catalyst of turmoil. The myths’ depiction of gods as morally ambiguous, often fallible beings relics, Prof. Larrington notes, of the deeply human origins of these divinities:
“Gods are made by humans in their own image. And so it’s no wonder…they turn out very much like humans…to have passions…to behave nobly on occasion.”
(74:59, Prof. Larrington)
For new listeners or Norse myth novices, this episode is a vibrant immersion into the stories, personalities, and cosmic drama at the heart of the Viking world, offering wisdom, cautionary tales, and the foundation of medieval narrative imagination.