Valkyrie

This article is about the Valkyries, figures of Norse mythology. There is another article on the North American XB-70 Valkyrie aircraft and the fictional VF-1 Valkyrie aircraft.

The Valkyrie's Vigil, by the Pre-Raphaelite painter Edward Robert Hughes. Following Richard Wagner's romantic reinterpretation of the old myths, Hughes depicts the dreadful Norse war goddess in an ethereal fairy painting: barefoot, clad in a sheer off-the-shoulder gown, and softly lit from above. Her martial aspects are de-emphasized: she tucks her helmet into the crook of her arm and holds her sword, quite uselessly, by the blade. Of the chooser of the warrior slain in battle, of the scavenging wolf and raven, there is no trace.

The valkyries (alternative spelling: walkyries) are figures of Norse mythology. The name means "choosers of the slain"; Old Norse: valrkyrja or valkyrja, pl. valrkyrjur or valkyrjur; Old High German: walachuriá; Gothic: valakusjó; Old English: wælcyrge. The valkyries are lesser goddesses (dís, pl. dísir) who are usually depicted as beautiful shieldmaidens on winged horses, armed with helmets and spears.

However, valkyrie horse was a kenning for wolf (see Rök Stone), so contrary to the stereotype they did not ride winged horses. Their mounts were rather the packs of wolves that frequented the corpses of dead warriors.

Whereas the wolf was the Valkyrie's mount, the Valkyrie herself was quite unromantically represented by the raven ([1]). Consequently the packs of wolves and ravens that scavenged the aftermath of battles were portrayed as serving a higher purpose.

This purpose was to choose the most heroic of those who have died in battle (called Einherjar), and to carry them off to Valhalla. This was necessary because Odin needed warriors to fight at his side at the preordained battle at the end of the world, Ragnarok.

The origin of the Valkyries is not given in extant texts.

"Sinding Valkyrie", a modern statue presenting a more active image in a Copenhagen, Denmark park

List of the Valkyries:

Brunhilde (ON Brynhildr; appears in the Völsunga saga, confused or identified with the Valkyrie Sigardrifa.)
Geirskögul
Göll (ON Gǫll)
Göndul (ON Gǫndul)
Gunn (ON Guðr or Gunnr, chooser of the slain, mentioned in several sources)
Herfjoturr (ON Herfjǫturr; caused the paralysis of defeat)
Hildr (Battle Valkyrie)
Hladgunnr (ON Hlaðgunnr)
Hlokk (ON Hlǫkk)
Hrist (served the einherjar in Valhalla)
Mist (served the einherjar in Valhalla)
Rathgrith
Rota (ON Róta; chooser of the slain)
Skuld (Norn and chooser of the slain)
Sigrdrifa (ON Sigrdrífa)
Sigrún (mentioned in Helgakviða Hundingsbana II)
Skagull (ON Skǫgul; filled Odin's horn with mead)
Skeggjald (ON Skeggjǫld)
Svafa (ON Sváfa)
Thrud (ON Þrúðr; a daughter of Thor's who served the einherjar in Valhalla).

Richard Wagner incorporated Norse tales that included the Valkyrie Brünhilde (Brynhild) and her punishment and subsequent love for the warrior Siegfried (Sigurd) into his operas Die Walküre and Götterdämmerung. In Wagner's treatment the Valkyries are nine daughters of Wotan (Odin) and Erda (Jörd) 'Earth' and are named: Brünnhilde, Helmwige, Ortlinde, Gerhilde, Waltraute, Siegrune, Rossweisse, Grimgerde, and Schwertleite.

In modern media, the Valkyrie Brünhilde singing the Ride of the Valkyries is one of the most recognizable visual and aural motifs from opera. In emphasizng female physical strength and dominance, Valkyrie is synonymous with Amazon.

Valkyrie

See also