Norse Mythology, Thursday, Second Period

[ifwebeworthy]

"I want to get a little philosophical today," Don said, "because there's an interesting paradox in Norse mythology, especially when you look at it through the lens of Norse culture, about masculinity. In Norse culture there were a lot of things that were strictly women's things, and a man doing them made you unmanly--and even accusing someone of being unmanly was a duel-worthy offense. But then you look at the gods. Odin and Loki, especially, do a lot of things that are quote-unquote 'unmanly.' Some of the magic they use is supposed to be reserved for women. Loki carries and births offspring. His offspring is a horse, but still. He's not Sleipnir's father, he's his mother. In another myth we covered in class, Thor, mighty warrior that he is, dresses as a woman and poses as a bride. So...what is that? What does it say that these are the stories this society chose to tell, when they go against the tenets of said society? Is it just that the gods are seen as beyond the ways of mortals; so different that the usual rules don't apply? Or is something else at play? What do you think?"