Gillette, Eric. "Thor." 1999. Drawing. Thor. 12-1-08. http://www.samruby.com/Heroes/Thor/thor.htm

Vikings-from Norway, Finland, Sweden. A cold, harsh climate, culture based around the sea.
Ginnungagap-a dark void.
Nifleheim-land of fog and ice.
Muspellheim-land of fire
Yggdrasil-World Ash Tree, connects the three worlds to eachother
Asgard-home of the gods
Midgard-home of the humans
Hel-Loki's daughter, and the home of the dead
Bifrost Bridge-divine bridge that links the human and god world
Ymir-Wild fierce, evil frost giant, two giants came out of his sweat while he was sleeping.
Odin-God of storm and night
Frigg-wife of odin, "cloud spinner", most powerfull goddess
The Valkyries-the choosers of the slain
The Norns-the fate maidens; past present future
Thor-god of thunder, odin's son
Balder-son of odin and frigg, god of radiance, rebirth, justice and light
Njord-Odin's "brother", patron of the sailors, father of Frey and Freya
Frey- god of fertility, prosperity, sun and rain
Freya- goddess of fertility, beauty, magic, war and death
Idunn-Goddess of youth, odin's daughter in law, keeper of the golden apples
Loki-son of giants, half blood god, he is an evil god, he is a trickster with many disguises
Fenrir-"the Wolf Destroyer", son of Loki
Jormungandr- "the World Serpent", son of Loki
Ragnarok-Doomsday, final battle where Loki and his children and the giants battle the gods to the death
Runes-Pebbles with designs on them that can be used for communication of fortune telling.

Schmidt, Robert. "Buffalo Jump." 2008. Photograph. Newspaper Rock. 11 November 2008.

ORIGIN OF THE BUFFALO DANCE

When the buffalo first came onto land, they would not let the people trick them into jumping off cliffs to be killed and eaten. For this reason the people would go cold and hungry all winter long. However, one day the daughter of a great hunter went to the bottom of a giant cliff and sang up to the buffalo that if they would provide her village with a wedding feast she would take their greatest warrior as her husband. Immediately after she finished singing, some buffalo jumped off the cliff and laid dead on the ground, along with the buffalo's greatest warrior who had come to take the girl as his wife. The girl's father found that she was gone, and tracked her to where the buffalo had taken her. Meanwhile, the girl was sitting next to her husband, who asked her to go to get him a drink of water. Her father met her on the other side of the hill where she went to get water, and he asked her to go with him back to their village, however she couldn't leave right away. When she came back to give the water to her husband, he snorted and scared all the buffalo, and the girl's father was trampled to death by the stampede of frightened buffalo. The girl's husband pitied her and said that if she could bring her father back to life she could go home with him. The girl sang the reviving song her grandmother had taught her and her father came back to life. The buffalo were amazed and said that if she taught them the reviving song, then they would teach her the buffalo dance that would ensure a good hunt when they went to kill buffalo.


Welker, Glenn. “Origin of the Buffalo Dance.” Creation/Migration/Origin Stories. 1996.
7 November 2008.

HERO QUEST

The Hero Journey:

*Hero: The founder of something new; age, religion, life.
Ex: ‘He had so many adventures and took part in so many great enterprises that there grew up a saying in Athens, “Nothing without Theseus.”’

*Universal/ Unique: Representative of every man with a special characteristic that sets him apart.
Ex: ‘His idea of dealing with justice was simple, but effective: what each had done to others, Theseus did to him.’

*Major Flaw: The hero is special, but not perfect.
Ex: ‘(…) when they drew near Athens, he forgot to hoist the white sail.’

*Call to Adventure: The hero is given a goal or assigned a quest.
Ex: ‘She told him then that the time had come for him to seek his father, and a ship was placed at his disposal by his grandfather.’

*Initiation: Entering a strange world and leaving behind the unfamiliar.
Ex: ‘(…) and he set forth to go to Athens by land. The journey was long and very hazardous because of the bandits that beset the road.’

*Journey: The road of trials, battles and obstacles that the hero takes.
Ex: ‘Sciron, for instance, (…) Theseus hurled over a precipice.’

*Companions and Friends: Sidekicks, partners, and support for the hero.
Ex: ‘Ariadne was among the spectators and she fell in love with Theseus at first sight (…) She gave him the clue she had got from Daedalus, a ball of thread which he was to fasten at one end to the inside of the door.’

*Supernatural Guide: Provides information, magic, or charms for the hero.
Ex: ‘The calm sweet voice of the goddess broke in on their anguish. (…) “Know this, that he will never be forgotten. In song and story men will remember him.”’

*Ultimate Battle: The final test of the hero.
Ex: ‘He came upon him fast asleep and fell upon him, pinning him to the ground; and with his fists- he battered the monster to death.’

*Transformation: Hero is altered in some way in the final battle.
Ex: ‘So Theseus became the King of Athens, a most wise and distinguished king.’

*Death/Rebirth: Out with the old, in with the new.
Ex: ‘It was to him the sign of his son’s death and he threw himself from a rocky height into the sea, and was killed.’

*Boon: A gift of renewal, or a reward that is shared by the hero.
Ex: ‘Thus Athens became, of all earth’s cities, the happiest and most prosperous, the only true home of liberty, the one place in the world where the people governed themselves.’

Academic Vocab with Examples

A myth is a story or legend that can give an explanation to natural phenomena, human psychology, or theological questions. These stories can be interpreted as metaphors or as fact. An example of a myth is the story of Enuma Elish.

A hero is a person recognized for courageous feats, or for being the founder of a new idea that benefits his community. An example of a hero is Hercules, a hero of Greek Mythology.

The Hero Journey is a formatted cycle of events that defines the path each hero must take to become a hero. An example of a hero journey is the life story of Theseus, a hero from Greek Mythology.

Anything universal can relate to all things in existence. An example of something universal is the concept of death, every living thing must face it at some point.

An archetype is the base or foundation of a structure or idea, in creation, three archetypal images are the egg, the watery abyss, the void. An example of an archetype is the hero journey, every hero must follow that same basic path.

Something cyclical is a pattern that eventually leads back to the beginning. An example of something cyclical is the hero journey, it follows a pattern and returns to its starting point in the end.

Duality is the concept of the balance of two things existing together at one time. An example of duality is the balance between day and night.

Creation is the beginning or building of something new out of nothing. An example of creation is the Chinese myth of the production of the universe out of a watery abyss.

A matriarchal society has a woman for its prominent leader. The Earth is often referred to as being a woman, or “Mother Earth”, this is an example of matriarchal.

A patriarchal society has a man for its prominent leader, the more typical society. The sky in many myths is referred to as being a man, or “Father Sky”, this is an example of a patriarchal.

Sacrifice is giving something up in exchange for something else, usually something better. An example of sacrifice is when in the Theseus myth when he offers himself to be taken to the minotaur.

Orpheus and Eurydice Essay

Ryan Thiel
Orpheus and Eurydice
Mythology 2
September 23, 2008
Orpheus and Eurydice
Drugs, sex, and rock n’ roll is what defines the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, minus the drugs. Music and love are significant to every living person, and this myth represents our connection to them both on three levels: natural, social, and psychological. Because music and love are so important, interpreting this myth on these three levels can mean something to everyone.
Orpheus was the son of a muse and a Thracian King; he was half divine and half human. His mother blessed him with the gift of music, and he was the greatest musician to live, apart from Apollo himself. Anyone he played for would immediately forget any trouble they had, follow him and listen to him sing and play his lyre. He could serenade any woman with his music, but he married a girl named Eurydice. Directly after their wedding, Eurydice was walking across a field with her bridesmaids and was bit by a venomous snake and died. Orpheus was so distressed by her death that he traveled into the underworld to find her. He persuaded Hades and Persephone to release Eurydice from the underworld by singing and playing his lyre. Orpheus was allowed to take her back under one condition: he could not look back at her as she followed him out of the underworld. When Orpheus was out from under the cave, he turned to look at Eurydice, but she was still in the cave, and she vanished instantly. Orpheus tried to go back but the gods would not allow him to go back to the underworld a second time. Orpheus roamed the land in deep sorrow, and eventually a group of crazed Maenads found him and tore him to pieces.
Everybody has a connection to music in some way, it is said that music is the universal language. Orpheus represents music in itself, in the same way his god-like looks and his musical talent appeals to any person he encounters. Everybody listens to music, or music is a part of everyone’s life in some way. When Orpheus persuades Hades and Persephone to let him bring Eurydice out of the underworld, this represents the way music can change a person’s mood for the better. Regardless of who a person is or the circumstances they are in, music will always be a refuge for people to escape to from their problems or worries.
Every person needs to feel loved in life, and in the same way people need to feel like they can love others. The way Orpheus goes into the underworld to regain his lost love represents that people will do anything to get the love they need. This myth also touches on the concept of death. For example when Orpheus turns to look at Eurydice when he exits the cave to the underworld, she vanishes because of the agreement that Orpheus and Hades had. This represents the loss that every human faces after a death, and Orpheus’ failed attempt to bring her back represents the stages a person goes through after the death of a loved one. Every person wants to bring back lost loved ones, but after a death everybody has to come the realization of the loss.
This myth represents the way love and music play a big role in every person’s life. Music can amplify the feeling of love and loss, or it can console a person after a loss. We will all face the loss of loved ones in our lives, and we will all feel the loss that Orpheus felt. Music will always continue to influence people’s lives, like the way it influenced Orpheus’s life. The tale of Orpheus helps us take a closer look at the way music and love affect us all.