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#Written by David Tam, 1994. #
#davidkftam@netscape.net Copyright 1999#
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"Homes of the Gods" - Grade 12 English Thesis
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In many mythologies there was a place that was unreachable by the ordinary
mortal. This special place was similar to the society of those times, but it
was paradisaic. Usually, only higher entities were allowed to enter this sacred
world; this divine pla ce was the deity's domain. The deity's dwelling was
visualized as a utopian place because its conditions were much better than that
of society's, there was an abundance of riches, and control of the world was
possible. These characteristics could be foun d in Greek, Norse, and Native
North American mythologies, although the specific dwellings of these gods were
quite different.
In the early ages of mankind, conditions were harsh and a more pleasant
society was always sought after. The development of the deity's home as having
conditions much better than society's resulted. In Greek mythology, Mount
Olympus was the dwelling of a ll the deities. It was a place high up in the
sky, with great cloud gates guarded by the Seasons. It was a heavenly, peaceful
place where the gods ate, laughed, and slept. Homer described Mount Olympus by
writing, "no wind ever shakes the untroubled peace of Olympus; no rain ever
falls there or snow; but the cloudless firmament stretches around it on all
sides and the white glory of sunshine is diffused upon its walls."(1) It was
obvious that the deities' home was a magical place that defied the laws of n
ature. In Norse mythology, Asgard was the home of the Aesir gods, built by Odin
in the region of Midgard. Evil frost giants were kept out of this divine area
by a huge wall surrounding the premise, and by a rainbow bridge consisting of
fire, called Bifros t. Because of these facts, only divine beings were able to
enter the area. The Aesir gods feasted daily on pork and drank mead from
Heidrun, the goat. The two groups of gods, the Aesirs and the Vanirs, lived in
harmony together in Asgard, although a very long time ago they were at war.
Characteristic amongst the majority of Native North American groups, the
deities lived in the most boundless place of all, the sky. Specifically, the
Plains Indians' supreme deity lived on the prairies of the sky. The sky f ather
lived life like the ordinary Indian, but conditions were much better; the
winters were not as harsh, and the villages were beautiful. The Iroquois
believed that the mother spirit of all animals lived in a magnificent village
in the underworld where war and disease did not exist. In all of these
different mythologies, the deity's dwelling was a royal place usually guarded
from evil. There was always plenty to eat and peace reverberated within the
domain. Conditions in these dwellings were better than that of the society and
resources were plentiful.
Within these domains, there was an abundance of riches. There was a bounty
of food, drink, precious metals, and raw materials. In Greek mythology, the
deities feasted on banquets, listened to pleasant music, and amused themselves.
The abundance of riches could be seen by Eros' mansion, consisting of pillars
made of gold, walls of silver, and floors of precious stones. In Norse
mythology gold and silver also was plentiful. There was such an abundance of
gold that even the fences that bordered paths in Asg ard were made of this
metal. There were many halls in Asgard that were also made from silver and
gold. Gladsheim, a grand hall where the thrones of Odin and twelve other gods
presided, was made of pure gold. The same was evident of Vingolo, a hall that
wa s made for Frigg (Odin's wife) and other goddesses. Around Odin's throne,
there was Valaskjalo, a hall made of silver. The Valhall, the largest building
and also Odin's banquet hall, consisted of 640 doors. It was said that 960
warriors could have walked abreast through each door.(2) Its ceiling was
covered with spears and its roof was covered with shields. In this hall, the
deities feasted daily on meat from a boar called Saerimne, who miraculously
replenished himself before the next feast. In the Inuit tribes they believed
that the moon, a great hunter, always had his sledge piled high with seal
skins. To the other North American tribes, this belief in the abundance of
skins and food was also common. In these mythologies, the deity's dwelling was
a utop ian place because there was a bounty of riches. Along with this
abundance, one other element that was necessary in a utopia was power.
From the magical domains of the deities, control of world was possible.
From high above on Mount Olympus, the deities had a view of the entire world
and were able to control it. In Norse mythology, Odin's throne possessed all of
the secrets of the univer se. One could see the entire world from this chair.
One author described his throne by stating, "When he sat on it, he could look
out over the whole world, heaven, and earth, and see everything that was going
on."(3) Because of this fact, only he and his wife, were allowed to sit on it.
For the Plains and Pacific Coast Indians, the deities in the sky were able to
watch the activities of the mortal world. In Pacific Coast Indian mythology
Sha-lana, the most powerful of the spirits, ruled Cloud Land. Mankin d has
always dreamed of possessing more and more power and the homes of the deities
did not compromise on this element.
The domain of the deities was a utopian place because of the three
important elements that were described. It possessed early society's
aspirations for better living conditions. It played on the more advanced mind
of society and revealed an abundance of riches and raw materials. Finally, it
tempted an individual's greed and need for control and power. This utopia
reflected the society of the past. The homes of the deities offered a
fascinating interpretation of what was considered to be a paradise. These
paradisaical places were truly fit for the gods.
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Endnotes
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1 Edith Hamilton, Mythology (Scarborough: Little, Brown & Company, 1969), 25.
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2 Harold Hveberg, Of Gods and Giants (Oslo: Harold Hveberg, 1986), 14.
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3 Hveberg, 14.
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Bibliography
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Borland, Cottie, Irene Nicholson and Harold Osborne.
Mythology of the Americas. Toronto: The Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited, 1968.
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Grimal, Pierre ed. Larousse World Mythology. Toronto: The Hamlyn
Publishing Group Limited, 1965. ---------------
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology. Scarborough: Little, Brown & Company, 1969.
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Head, James G. and Linda MacLea. Myth & Meaning.
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Toronto: Gage Educational Publishing Company, 1988.
Hveberg, Harold. Of Gods and Giants. Oslo: Harold Hveberg, 1986.
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Marriot, Alice and Carol K. Rachlin. American Indian Mythology.
New York: Thomas T. Crowell Company, 1968.-------------------------
Watterson, Barbara. The Gods of Ancient Egypt.
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New York: Facts On File Publishing, 1984.
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