BODY SYMBOLISM IN OLD NORSE MYTH

The surreal character of ON myths can be explained by their metaphorical Jan A. Kozák
nature. The human body is one of the source images for ordering reality. University of Bergen
Marie Curie Fellow
Three different specific cases are presented below. jan.kozak@uib.no

From Ymir’s flesh

the earth was made,
and from his blood, the sea,
mountains from his bones,
GKS 2365 4to, 10v, handrit.is
trees from his hair,
Ór Ymis holdi var iorð um scǫpuð, enn ór sveita sær,
and from his skull, the sky.
biorg ór beinom, baðmr ór hári, enn ór hausi himinn...

skull
1) Body Parts to World Parts
M ETAPHOR
One of the better known Old Norse
myths describes the creation of
the world from the body of prim-
eval giant Ymir (see verse above).
This macrocosm-microcosm
analogy is also attested also in
many other cultures. Ymir Finnur Magnússon
1825

© Helena Rosova (Hellanim, Deviantart)

2) Pars pro Toto

Myths contrast with historical
S YNECDOCHE
and other 'realistic' narratives
A specific body part in which the power
by their stark surreality, which of a certain being resides is quite com-
makes them akin to dream se- mon in ON myths. These body parts can
quences. This is true also for be quite active even after the rest of the
body dies, e.g. the prophetic head of the
Old Norse mythology. wise Mímir or the blood of Kvasir, which
Myth seem so strange, be- becomes the Mead of Poetry, inspiration
itself.
Mímir Kvasir
cause they speak a different
language. It is a non-literal,
symbolic form of encoding a 3) Paradoxical Mutilation
message. I RONY

Myths use concrete images to The god or character is missing a part

of the body that symbolically embodies
express general or multivalent his ability: Óðinn, god who sees all, is
ideas. missing an eye; Týr, the warrior god
associated with justice is missing his
The human body in these right hand; Heimdallr, the guardian
myths works as a semantically god who can even hear the grass Óðinn Heimdallr Týr
overcharged whole that can growing, has sacrificed his hearing.
either be divided into pieces
with different purposes or The Four 'Master Tropes' PROJECT INFO
This poster presents one of the guiding
mapped onto other wholes so Based on similarity. ideas of a Marie Sklodowska-Curie
M ETAPHOR e.g. "It was a heated discussion."
Individual Fellowship project SYMBODIN,
as to make them meaningful. taking place at the University of Bergen,
Department of Linguistic, Literary and
The four master tropes form Based on contiguity.
M ETONYMY
Aesthetic Studies in 2018-2020 under the
the core of many mythical e.g. "It is an original Picasso." supervision of prof. Jens Eike Schnall.
The project's main focus is the symbolic
expressions. These tropes are Based on partiality. use of the image of the human body in
not mere poetic embellish- S YNECDOCHE e.g. "Check out my new wheels." the mythic thinking of Norse religion and
myths in general. The approach is inter-
ments, but are rather rooted in Based on inversion.
disciplinary, combining cognitive lingu-

I RONY
istics with phenomenology and semiotics
human cognitive system. e.g. "It was as soft as concrete." as well as psychology of religion.