Ragnarök
Ragnarök is the prophesied final battle and destruction of the cosmos in Norse mythology, followed by the world’s renewal.
Völuspá: A poem in the Poetic Edda that recounts the creation, fate, and renewal of the Norse cosmos. Its seeress gives the most influential surviving account of Ragnarök.
Fenrir: A monstrous wolf in Norse mythology, bound by the gods and destined to break free at Ragnarök. He kills Odin during the final battle before Vidar avenges him.
Norse cosmology: The mythological structure of the Norse universe, including its worlds, beings, and cosmic relationships. Ragnarök destroys and renews this ordered universe.
Poetic Edda: A collection of Old Norse mythological and heroic poems preserved in a medieval Icelandic manuscript. Its poems preserve the primary poetic material about Ragnarök.
Prose Edda: A medieval Icelandic handbook of Norse mythology and poetic diction written by Snorri Sturluson. Snorri’s account organizes the signs and events of the final battle.
Jörmungandr: A vast sea serpent in Norse mythology that encircles Midgard and is destined to fight Thor. Its battle with Thor is one of Ragnarök’s defining confrontations.
Æsir: One of the principal groups of Norse gods, including Odin, Thor, and Frigg. The prophecy centers on the deaths and survival of members of this divine group.
Snorri Sturluson: A thirteenth-century Icelandic writer, historian, and chieftain who composed the Prose Edda. His retelling shaped how later audiences encountered the prophecy.
Fimbulwinter: A mythic three-year winter said to precede the end of the world in Norse tradition. This harsh winter is one of the clearest portents preceding Ragnarök.
Loki: A shape-shifting figure in Norse mythology whose actions bring conflict among gods and giants. He leads the dead against the gods and fights Heimdall at Ragnarök.