InNorse mythology,Gerðr (Old Norse:[ˈɡerðz̠]; "fenced-in"[1]) is ajötunn,goddess, and the wife of the godFreyr. Gerðr is attested in thePoetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources; theProse Edda andHeimskringla, written in the 13th century bySnorri Sturluson; and in the poetry ofskalds.Gerðr is sometimes modernly anglicized asGerd orGerth.
In both thePoetic Edda and theProse Edda, Freyr sees Gerðr from a distance, becomes deeply lovesick at the sight of her shimmering beauty, and has his servantSkírnir go toJötunheimr (where Gerðr and her fatherGymir reside) to gain her love. In thePoetic Edda Gerðr initially refuses, yet after a series of threats by Skírnir she is forced to yield. In theProse Edda, no mention of threats is made. In both sources, Gerðr agrees to meet Freyr at a fixed time at the location ofBarri and, after Skírnir returns with Gerðr's response, Freyr laments that the meeting could not occur sooner. In both thePoetic Edda and theProse Edda, Gerðr is described as the daughter of Gymir and the jötunnAurboða.
InHeimskringla, Gerðr is recorded as the wife of Freyr,euhemerized as having been a belovedking of Sweden. In the same source, the couple are the founders of theYngling dynasty and produced a son,Fjölnir, who rose to kinghood after Freyr's passing and continued their line. Gerðr is commonly theorized to be a goddessassociated with the earth. Gerðr inspired works of art and literature.
Gerðr is attested in two poems in thePoetic Edda, in two books of theProse Edda, and in two books inHeimskringla.
In thePoetic Edda poemSkírnismál, the god Freyr sat on the high seatHlidskjalf and looked into all worlds. Freyr saw a beautiful girl walking from the hall of her father to a storehouse. Freyr became heartsick for the girl. Freyr has a page namedSkírnir. Freyr's fatherNjörðr and, in verse, the goddessSkaði tells Skírnir to find out what troubles Freyr. An exchange occurs between Freyr and Skírnir in verse, where Freyr tells Skírnir that he has seen a wondrous girl with shining arms at the home of (her father)Gymir, yet that the gods and elves do not wish for the two to be together:
- Benjamin Thorpe translation:
- In Gýmir's courts I saw walking
- a maid for whom I long.
- Her arms gave forth light wherewith shone
- all air and water.
- Henry Adams Bellows translation:
- "From Gymir's house I behold forth
- A maiden dear to me;
- Her arms glittered, and from their gleam
- Shone all the sea and sky."
- "To me more dear than in days of old
- Was ever maiden to man;
- But no one of gods or elves will grant
- That we be together should be."[3]
Skírnir requests that Freyr give him a horse and Freyr's sword; a sword which fightsjötnar by itself. Under the cover of darkness, Skírnir rides the horse over nations and dew-covered mountains until he reachesJötunheimr, the home of the jötnar, and proceeds to Gymir's courts. Ferocious dogs are tied before the wooden fence that surrounds Gerðr's hall. Skírnir rides out to a herdsman (unnamed) sitting on amound, greets him, and asks the herdsman how he may speak to the maiden beyond Gymir's dogs. An exchange occurs between the herdsman and Skírnir, during which the herdsman tells Skírnir that he will never speak to the girl.[4]
Hearing a terrible noise in her dwellings, Gerðr asks where it is coming from, noting that the earth trembles and that all of Gymir's courts shake. A serving maid (unnamed) notes that outside a man has dismounted his horse and has let it graze. Gerðr tells the serving maid to invite the man to come into their hall and to partake of some of their "famousmead," yet Gerðr expresses fear that the man outside may be her "brother's slayer".[5]
Gerðr asks the stranger if he is of the elves,Æsir, or theVanir, and why he comes alone "over the wild fire" to seek their company. Skírnir responds that he is of none of these groups, yet that he has indeed sought her out. Skírnir offers Gerðr 11 golden apples (orapples of eternal life, in a common emendation) to gain her favor. Gerðr rejects the apples—no matter who offers them—and adds that neither will she and Freyr be together as long as they live. Skírnir offers Gerðr a ring, here unnamed (Draupnir), thatproduces eight more gold rings every ninth night and "was burned withOdin's young son". Gerðr responds that she is not interested in the ring, for she shares her father's property, and Gymir has no lack of gold.[6]
_by_L._Fr%25C3%25B8lich.jpg)
Skírnir turns to threats; he points out to Gerðr that he holds a sword in his hand and he threatens to cut her head from her neck unless she agrees. Gerðr refuses; she says that she will not endure the coercion of any man, and says that if Gymir encounters Skírnir then a battle can be expected. Skírnir again reminds Gerðr of his blade and predicts that Gerðr's jötunn father will meet his doom with it. Skírnir warns Gerðr that he will strike her with hisGambanteinn, a wand, that it will tame her to his desires, and says that she will never again be seen by "the sons of men". From early morning, Gerðr will sit onan eagle's mound, looking outward to the world, facingHel, and that "food shall be more hateful to you than to every man is the shining serpent among men".[7]
Skírnir declares that when Gerðr comes out she will be a spectacle;Hrímgrímnir will "glare" at her, "everything" will stare at her, she will become more famous than thewatchman of the gods, and that she will "gape through the bars". Gerðr will experience "madness and howling, tearing affliction and unbearable desire" and that, in grief, tears will flow from her. Skírnir tells Gerðr to sit down, for her fate will be even worse yet. She will be harassed by fiends all her weary days. From the court of jötnar to the halls of thehrimthurs, Gerðr shall everyday crawl without choice, nor hope of choice. Gerðr will weep rather than feel joy, suffering tearfully. She will live the rest of her life in misery with a three-headedthurs or otherwise be without a man altogether. Skírnir commands for Gerðr's mind to be seized, that she may waste away with pining, and that she be as thethistle at the end of the harvest; crushed.[8]
Skírnir says that he has been to a wood to get a "potent branch", which he found. He declares that the godsOdin andThor are angry with Gerðr, and that Freyr will hate her; she has "brought down the potent wrath of the gods". Skírnir declares to the hrimthursar, thursar, the sons ofSuttungr, and the "troops of theÆsir" that he has denied both pleasure and benefit from men to Gerðr. Skírnir details that the thurs's name who will own her below the gates ofNágrind isHrímgrímnir and that there, at theroots of the world, the finest thing Gerðr will be given to drink is the urine of goats. He carves "thurs" (therunic character *thurisaz) on Gerðr and three runes (unnamed) symbolizing lewdness, frenzy, and unbearable desire, and comments that he can rub them off just as he has carved them—if he wishes.[9]
Gerðr responds with a welcome to Skírnir and tells him to take a crystal cup containing ancientmead, noting that she thought she would never love one of theVanir. Skírnir asks her when she will meet with Freyr. Gerðr says that they shall meet at a tranquil location calledBarri, and that after nine nights she will there grant Freyr her love:
- Benjamin Thorpe translation:
- Barri is the grove named, which we both know,
- the grove of tranquil paths.
- Nine nights hence, there to Niörd's son
- Gerd will grant delight.[10]
- Henry Adams Bellows translation:
- Barri there is, which we both know well,.
- A forest fair and still;
- And nine nights hence to the son of Njorth
- Will Gerth grant delight.[11]
Skírnir rides home. Standing outside, Freyr immediately greets Skírnir and asks for news. Skírnir tells him that Gerðr says she will meet with him at Barri. Freyr, impatient, comments that one night is long, as is two nights, and questions how he will bear three, noting that frequently a month seemed shorter than half a night before being with Gerðr.[12]
A stanza in the poemLokasenna refers to Gerðr. In the poem,Loki accuses the god Freyr of having purchased Gymir's daughter (Gerðr) with gold and comments that, in the process, Freyr gave away his sword. Referring to Freyr as a "wretch", Loki then posits how Freyr intends to fight when theSons of Muspell ride over the woodMyrkviðr (an event duringRagnarök). Freyr's servant,Byggvir, interjects and the poem continues.[13]
In the poemHyndluljóð,Óttar's ancestry is recounted and information is provided about the gods. One stanza that actually belongs toVöluspá hin skamma relates that Freyr and Gerðr were married, that Gerðr is the daughter of the jötunn Gymir, that Gerðr's mother isAurboða, and that they are related toÞjazi (the nature of the kinship is not specified)—father of the goddess and jötunnSkaði.[14]
In chapter 37 of theProse Edda bookGylfaginning, Gerðr is introduced by the enthroned figure ofHigh as the daughter of Gymir and the mountain jötunn Aurboða, and is described as "the most beautiful of all women". High reports that Freyr went intoHlidskjalf and looked over all worlds. When Freyr looked to the north he saw a distant homestead with a large and magnificent building. A woman went to the building, and when she lifted her arms and opened the door to the building "light was shed from her arms over both sky and sea, andall worlds were made bright by her". In punishment for "his great presumption" in having sat in the holy seat, Freyr went away filled with grief.[15]
Freyr arrives home and neither sleeps nor drinks, remaining in silence. No one dares speak to him. The godNjörðr sends Freyr's servantSkírnir to speak to Freyr. Freyr tells Skírnir that he saw a beautiful woman, so beautiful that he was filled with grief and that he would soon die if he could not have her. Freyr tells Skírnir that he must go gain her hand on his behalf—whether the woman's father agrees or not—and he will be rewarded. Skírnir replies that he accepts the mission but only in exchange for Freyr's sword, which can fight on its own. Freyr gives him the sword and Skírnir sets off. Skírnir asks for the woman's hand for Freyr and receives her promise. Nine nights later she is to meet with Freyr at a location calledBarey. Skírnir delivers the news to Freyr and Freyr responds with the final stanza from thePoetic Edda poemSkírnismál, lamenting that he must wait.[16]
At the beginning of theProse Edda bookSkáldskaparmál, eight goddesses are listed as attending a feast held byÆgir on the island ofHlesey (nowLæsø,Denmark), including Gerðr.[15] In chapter 19, different ways of referring to the goddessFrigg are provided. One of these names is "rival of Gerðr";[17] however, this is probably a scribal error (see "Theories" section below). In chapter 57, various goddesses are listed, including Gerðr (betweenSnotra andGefjon).[18]
In chapter 12 ofYnglinga saga (as collected inHeimskringla), aeuhemerized prose account relates that Freyr was a much loved king in what is nowSweden. Freyr's wife was Gerðr and their son wasFjölnir. Gerðr's fate is not provided, but after Freyr's death their son goes on to become king and their family line, theYnglings, continues.[19] In a verse stanza found in chapter 16 ofHaralds saga Gráfeldar, Gerðr is mentioned in a kenning for "woman" ("Gerðr-of-gold-rings").[20]
Small pieces of gold foil featuring engravings dating from theMigration Period into the earlyViking Age (known asgullgubber) have been discovered in various locations inScandinavia, almost 2,500 at one location. The foil pieces have been found largely at sites of buildings, only rarely in graves. The figures are sometimes single, occasionally an animal, sometimes a man and a woman with a leafy bough between them, facing or embracing one another. The human figures are almost always clothed and are sometimes depicted with their knees bent. ScholarHilda Ellis Davidson says that it has been suggested that the figures are partaking in a dance, and that they may have been connected with weddings, as well as linked to theVanir group of gods, representing the notion of a divine marriage, such as in thePoetic Edda poemSkírnismál; the coming together of Gerðr and Freyr.[21]
In chapter 19 of theProse Edda bookSkáldskaparmál, Gerðr is listed among "rivals" of the goddessFrigg, a list of sexual partners of Frigg's husband,Odin.[17] Instead ofGerðr, the jötunnGríðr, mother of Odin's sonVíðarr according to theProse Edda, was probably intended. One manuscript has Gríðr corrected to Gerðr.[22] Andy Orchard notes that it may nonetheless be an intentional inclusion in view of "Odin's notorious appetites".[1]
ScholarJohn Lindow comments that Gerðr's name has been etymologically associated with the earth and enclosures and that the wedding of Gerðr and Freyr is commonly seen as "thedivine coupling of sky and earth or at leastfertility god and representative of the soil." Lindow adds that, at the same time, the situation can be read as simply the gods getting what they want from thejötnar.[23]
Hilda Ellis Davidson comments that Gerðr's role inSkírnismál has parallels with the goddessPersephone fromGreek mythology, "since it is made clear that if [Gerðr] remains below in the dark kingdom of theunderworld there will be nothing to hope for but sterility and famine. She does not become the bride of the underworld, however; her bridal is to be in the upper world when she consents to meet Freyr at Barri."[24]
Gerðr has inspired works of art and literature. The Danish poetAdam Gottlob Oehlenschläger wrote a series of poems referencing Gerðr as collected in (1819)Nordens Guder.Esaias Tegnér's (1782–1846) unfinished epic poemGerda also references the goddess. K. Ehrenberg depicted the goddess in his illustration (1883)Freyr und Gerda, Skade und Niurd.[25] Her story was retold in free verse by the Icelandic poetGerður Kristný in herBlóðhófnir, a feminist retelling ofSkírnismál that won the 2010Icelandic Literature Award.[26][27]Saturn's moonGerd is named after her.
Hvernig skal kenna Frigg.