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Norse Mythology: The Unofficial Guide

by J. G. Harker

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About the show

What makes Norse mythology "norse"? Why does Thor kill giants? What do the myths tell us about Loki's gender identity? The world of popular media is always happy to provide a modernized re-telling of ancient stories with a heavy scoop of creative license, but on "Norse Mythology: The Unofficial Guide", we'll dive into the original tales directly from the sources and learn together from experts in the field about what these stories really mean and how they would have affected the lives of the ancient people of the pagan north. Contact me any time at waelhraefn (at) gmail (dot) com!

Latest episodes

Episode 39 - The Worship of Good and Evil

May 16, 2026 · 59 min

Are the gods the good guys or the bad guys? On that note, did ancient Norse people ever worship the jötnar? This week we take a look at what it really means to be a god in the Norse mind. Two surprising sources will help inform our…
Episode 38 - Eating Hearts and Drinking Blood

May 18, 2025 · 28 min

This time we dig into a rarely discussed aspect of Norse mythology: stealing your enemy's power by eating their heart or drinking their blood. But just who's power can be stolen by way of this gory ritual? Animals? Monsters? Humans? Let's…
Episode 37 - Dead Women in Black

July 13, 2024 · 39 min

After a nice, long break, NMTUG is back to cover a relatively obscure topic in Norse mythology: the dísir. What makes the dísir distinct from valkyries, norns, and other death-entangled women? Let's find out. Sources: “The Merseburg…
Episode 36 - Blue as Hel

September 9, 2023 · 32 min

Time for another deep dive! This time into the mysterious origins of the one called Hel: the daughter of Loki and the sister of two giant monsters. Who does she own upon death? The answer may not be quite as simple as you…
Episode 35 - Volsunga Saga Part III: The Fearless Heart

August 13, 2023 · 1 hr 4 min

In our final installment of Völsunga Saga (for now), it's what you've all been waiting for: We finally cover the tale of Sigurðr, the most famous of all Norse heroes who slew the dragon Fáfnir, and his tragic love with the valkyire…
Episode 34 - Volsunga Saga Part II: To Serve the Boatman

July 10, 2023 · 32 min

Story time continues with our second installment of the Saga of the Volsungs wherein another character goes to Valhöll without dying in battle, a valkyrie causes countless deaths for her own gain, and Sigmund's magic sword finally receives…
Episode 33 - Volsunga Saga Part I: The Sword in the Tree

May 27, 2023 · 57 min

It's story time again! And this time we're digging into what might be the most famous legendary saga ever to come out of Scandinavia: The Saga of the Vǫlsungs. As we dig in, it'll become clear how all of the principles we've talked about…
Episode 32 - Associated with Fire

April 24, 2023 · 41 min

How many times have you heard in the past that Loki is associated with fire? It's true, in fact, but how many people who told you Loki was associated with fire ever provided any examples of that association? In this episode, we'll dig in…