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Jörmungandr: The Misunderstood Midgard Serpent of Norse Mythology
Jörmungandr, the world serpent, was an integral part of Norse mythology. Throughout history, he has been portrayed as a key villain in Norse mythology and arch nemesis of Thor, the god of thunder. However modern historians take a rather different approach, painting the venomous serpent in a more sympathetic light. Rather than a villain, they say he can be read as a force of nature and a necessary agent of transformation. So who understood Jörmungandr better? The Norse who feared him or the historians who study him today?
The Tragic Origin of Jörmungandr
Much like Greek mythology, Norse mythology evolved much over the years. The importance of certain characters would wax and wane, and people would tell different versions of established tales. Most early Norse tales were spread by word of mouth rather than written down, adding to the confusion. Jörmungandr is one of the oldest entities in Norse mythology, and for the most part his portrayal is pretty consistent, with a handful of variations. We find the origin of Jörmungandr in chapter 34 of the Gylfaginnig (a 13th-century text that recounts the Norse creation mythology) Jormungandr’s father was Loki, the trickster god. His mother was a jotunn (giant) from Jotunheimen called Angrboða. In addition to Jörmungandr, the couple had Fenrir, a giant wolf, and Hel, the goddess of the Norse underworld. The birth of the three children was not exactly warmly welcomed by the other gods. The jotunn were historically antagonistic towards the gods and mankind, and Loki had his own, often complicated history with the other gods. When the gods learned that Loki’s children were being raised by a jotunn in Jotunheim, they were understandably concerned.
Odin then received a prophecy that the three would grow up to become a challenge to the power of the gods. Although they were little more than babies, he ordered them separated from their mother. Odin flung Jörmungandr into the sea, confined Hel to Niflheim, the land of the dead, and bound Fenrir to a rock on an island. Jörmungandr continued to grow while living in the sea. Before long, he had grown to such a size that he encircled Midgard (Earth) and clamped down on his own tail, forming an ouroboros, the depiction of a serpent or dragon eating its own tail. It was believed that if Jörmungandr ever released his tail, it would be the beginning of the end for the gods.
Jörmungandr in Norse Mythology
Although a key player in Norse mythology, Jörmungandr only appeared in three main myths besides his above origin story. He was always depicted as an antagonist to Thor, the god of thunder. The two were always portrayed as hating each other, and their mythologies were tightly entwined. Quite why they shared such an antagonistic relationship was never fully explained.
Jörmungandr the Overweight Cat
It is only after he encircled the earth that Jörmungandr started to have run-ins with Thor. Their first clash happened at the stronghold of Utgarda-Loki, the home of a giant. The story essentially revolved around Thor having a particularly bad day. The tale began with Thor traveling with his human servant, Thjalfi, and his adopted brother, Loki. They encountered a giant named Skrymir, who offered to travel with them and carry their food bag. However, when they agreed, he tied the drawstring of the bag so tightly that not even the mighty Thor could open it. This threw Thor into a rage (not uncommon for Thor), so he attacked the giant with his hammer while he slept. Each time, Skrymir simply woke up and mocked Thor, asking if a leaf had fallen on his head while he was sleeping. Growing bored of his games, the giant left the troupe to go on their way.
The three soon arrived at the stronghold of a giant named Utgarda-Loki. Tired and hungry, they asked the giant lord for an act of hospitality. In return, he mocked them for being puny and said they must prove their worth in several trials if they wished to stay. The first trial was an eating contest between Loki and one of Utgarda’s retinue, Logi. While Loki managed to eat all the meat in front of him, Logi won by eating not only the meat, but the bones too, and even the trough in which his meat was served. The second trial was a foot race between Thjalfi and another courtier called Hugi. Again, it was a poor showing for Team Thor; his human servant lost the foot race three times in a row. Finally, it was Thor’s turn, and knowing his strengths he opted for a drinking competition that he was sure to win. He lost. However much he tried to drink, he could not empty his drinking horn. Mocking Thor for being a weakling, Utgarda-Loki offered Thor a second task; he must simply lift the giant’s fat, gray cat. As much as he tried, Thor could barely lift the cat's foot off the ground. Finally, Utgarda-Loki offered one last mission.
