The Goddess Iðunn

Maria Kvilhaug

Maria Kvilhaug is a Norwegian author and historian who writes in the English language. She was born in Oslo, Norway, in 1975. She has written

Synopsis

Kvilhaug’s book of The Goddess Iðunn uncovers her true associations and links through poetry and myths. Iðunn is often linked to concepts like youth and fertility, but why is this? Kvilhaug examines why she is so often linked to these concepts and offers to comparative view of the goddess to other myths that often depict similar goddess in the same light despite the fact that they do not share any actual source depicting them as such.

How The Goddess Iðunn cover was made

By Cover Artist-In Training: Larisa Hunter with tweaks from Senior Designer: Sheal Mullin-Berube

This was the first cover I asked if I could take as a way to learn how to create covers. Sheal is the ultimate designer at TLS she just knows how to make Photoshop behave, something which I have not yet been able to master. She guided me through the entire process which was amazing and I am eternally grateful to her for helping me learn and making the final version pop. 

I wanted to make Iðunn the focus of the cover, so I used an image from the pubic domain of a bronze statue of the goddess herself. The simplicity of the image was enhanced when Sheal added this gorgeous overlay of dew coming off an apple. The final cover reveals the beauty of the goddess synopsis with youth, beauty and the apples of eternity.

What's Inside

  • Introduction
  • Haustlǫng
  • Snorri Sturluson
  • Hrafnagaldr Óðins eða Forspjallsljóð
  • Non-Literary Sources
  • What about archaeology, art?
  • Nehalennia
  • Fertility Goddess?
  • The Likes of Iðunn
  • Snorra Edda
  • Iðunn in the Skaldskaparmál
  • When Slave-Binder the Devourer Stole Iðunn
    • Of the Slave-Binder’s Lineage
  • Important Elements
  • Seiðr
  • Freyia’s Válshamr
  • Epilogue to part 1
    • Introduction to Part 2
    • Thióðolf Skald
    • A Shield Poem

Stanza 1: Introductions

    • Heiti
    • Kenningar
  • Haustlǫng Stanza 2: The Tellers of the Stories
  • Haustlǫng Stanza 3: Very Wise Corpse-Thrower
  • Haustlǫng Stanza 4: The Raven God’s Friend
  • Haustlǫng Stanza 5: The Goddess of the Drumming Belt
  • Haustlǫng Stanza 6: The Hidden God of the Deep Soul
  • Haustlǫng Stanza 7: The Ghost of the Giant World
  • Haustlǫng Stanza 8: The Vulture of the Flock
  • Haustlǫng Stanza 9: The Stirrer of the Stories & The Goddess of the Benches of the Water-Source-Fields
  • Haustlǫng Stanza 10: The Gods Are Ageing
  • Haustlǫng Stanza 11: The Precious Maiden Who Increases the Joy of the Gods
  • Haustlǫng Stanza 12: Child of the Hawk and Lover of Gods
  • Haustlǫng Stanza 13: In Suddenness His Journey Ended

Hyndluljóð

  • The Realm of Death: Wolf
  • The Eagle of Death
  • Níflheimr

—————-

  • Shamanism
  • Saving the soul of the gods
  • What does the name Iðunn mean?
  • Kenningar for Iðunn
  • Iðunn in the Raven Galdr
  • What is a soul?
  • Comparative Soul Concepts
  • Gýgr or Maiden – the fate of the soul after death

—————————

  • Heiti & Kenningar for The Eagle of Death
  • Heiti & kenningar for loki in the haustlǫng

Introduction to Part 3: Edda Poetry

  • Timelines108
  • Hrafnagaldr
  • Hrafnagaldr Oðins – Authentic or Not?

———————————

  • Stanza 1: Introducing the Powers
  • Stanza 2: The Mead of Poetry
  • Stanza 3: The Soul Soars
  • Stanza 4: Falling Down
  • Stanza 5: Streams of Poison and Streams of Wisdom
  • Stanza 6: The Knowledge-Hungry Goddess “Sinks”
  • Stanza 7: The Imprisoned Goddess
  • Stanza 8: Wedding the Wolf- Hide
  • Stanza 9: Iðunn Becomes an Oracle
  • Stanza 10: Preparing for The Long Journey: Seiðr
  • Stanza 11: The Three Gods Ask the Oracle (Iðunn)
  • Stanza 12: Iðunn Refuses to Reveal Her Knowledge
  • Stanza 13: Bad Omens
  • Stanza 14: More on Death
  • Stanza 15: To No Avail
  • Stanza 16: The Trinity Traveling Again
  • Stanza 17: The Gods Return to the Temple of the Goddesses
  • Stanza 18: Hailing Óðinn as the Sovereign
  • Stanza 19: A New Order
  • Stanza 21: The Errand was Fruitless
  • Stanza 22: Seeking New Counsel
  • Stanza 23: Leaving the Banquet of the Gods
  • Stanza 24: Dawn Rises
  • Stanza 25: The Powers of Darkness Rest
  • Stanza 26: Ragnarǫk is Due
  • List of Matronae (Source: Rudolf Simek “Dictionary of Northern Mythology”)
  • Haustlǫng oversatt til norsk av maria kvilhaug
  • Maria kvilhaug’s Hand Drawn Comic Strip
  • About the Author

Book Details

Language: English
Paperback: ‎207 pages
ISBN-10: 1989033873
ISBN-13: 978-1989033876
Item Weight: 10.1 Ounces
Dimensions: ‎ ‎6 x 0.42 x 9 inches

Release Date: May 9, 2022
BISAC: General, Poetry, Mythology

List Price
$20.00 [Print], $9.99 [Digital]

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