I used to think that myths are told to children, but this year I suddenly found that the myths are hidden in the key to unlock the culture of various ethnic groups, Mr. Wen Yiduo has studied Chinese myths and stories in depth, and Mr. Mao Dun will introduce Nordic mythology into China.
This "Norse Mythology" is a book that Mr. Mao Dun sorted out and studied more than 90 years ago, different from the general storytelling, he narrated, analyzed and traced the myth according to the background of the times, historical factors, geographical environment and other elements of reality, and introduced the Norse gods with vivid language and interesting stories, so that they can become plump characters from a mythological character.
In Norse mythology and legend, the world at first only had ice and fire, which is very consistent with their regional characteristics, and unlike the creatures in other cultures, all its things were born in the body of the giant Ymir, and the first gods were born in his thighs and armpits, and his body turned into the sky, the sea, the mountains, and the clouds.
In Norse mythology, gods have strong personalities, such as the twin brothers of Ossi and Friggia: Badr, the god of light, and Hodel, the god of darkness, one is a sunny and cheerful boy, and the other is gloomy and silent. All kinds of gods, with human emotions and selfishness, all kinds of bizarre stories happen.
The climax of Norse mythology is the "twilight of the gods", which also expresses one of its characteristics: destruction and rebirth. It is a great battle involving all gods, an inevitable tragedy, and a nirvana of the destruction and rebirth of the world, and the gods, like humans, will face the day of death.
On the whole, Norse mythology is so dramatic that many films, television, literature, and even games will draw inspiration from it, such as the popular "Lord of the Rings" series, the animated film "How to Train Your Dragon", and Marvel's movie "Thor", where little gnomes and monsters, and the Norse gods with distinct personalities are all good elements for plot promotion.
Mr. Mao Dun's Nordic mythology, while telling the story, adds his own analysis and opinions, which is very beneficial.
"We should also not forget that myths and legends are more or less a reflection of the habits and morals of primitive times...... From the story, it can be imagined that customs such as blood marriage were popular among ancient humans. ”
So, while watching myths and stories, it opened a window to understand ancient history and culture.