FFC
The Aesir Gods of Asgard: The Death of Balder
Presenter(s): David Cooper
Advisor(s): Dr. Eileen Jankowski
When Odin and his brothers fashioned the world out of Ymir’s corpse, one single parasitic plant grew from the giant’s muscles which would bring about the death of the most beloved of the gods. Unlike other religions the Norse gods were mortal, in fact, they were guaranteed to be destroyed in Ragnarök, the battle said to destroy the universe. Balder, the god of purity and light, dreamed of his impending demise which inspired his mother, Frigga, to exact oaths from every living being in the universe to not harm Balder. Believing that mistletoe was too small and too weak to harm her beloved son, Frigga skipped over it. Loki, the god of mischief, learned about how she missed the plant and quickly fashioned a dart made of mistletoe and instructed Hodr, Balder’s blind brother, to throw the dart under Loki’s guidance. The dart struck Balder and he fell to the ground, dead. As punishment, Odin threw Loki in prison in the deepest cavern on earth underneath a serpent whose venom would drip on the face of the god of mischief. Loki writhed in pain each time the venom would drip onto his face, causing the earth to shake. Balder’s death was the first sign of the coming of Ragnarök and the end of ages. The death of Balder explained to the Vikings why exactly the earth rumbles causing destruction and why Loki holds such a grudge against the Aesir. The Greeks believed that earthquakes took place whenever Poseidon struck the ground with his trident. Where Loki struggled to get away from the toxic venom of the serpent placed above his head, Poseidon struck the earth whenever he was in a bad mood or felt that the earth must be punished.
Presenter(s): David Cooper
Advisor(s): Dr. Eileen Jankowski
When Odin and his brothers fashioned the world out of Ymir’s corpse, one single parasitic plant grew from the giant’s muscles which would bring about the death of the most beloved of the gods. Unlike other religions the Norse gods were mortal, in fact, they were guaranteed to be destroyed in Ragnarök, the battle said to destroy the universe. Balder, the god of purity and light, dreamed of his impending demise which inspired his mother, Frigga, to exact oaths from every living being in the universe to not harm Balder. Believing that mistletoe was too small and too weak to harm her beloved son, Frigga skipped over it. Loki, the god of mischief, learned about how she missed the plant and quickly fashioned a dart made of mistletoe and instructed Hodr, Balder’s blind brother, to throw the dart under Loki’s guidance. The dart struck Balder and he fell to the ground, dead. As punishment, Odin threw Loki in prison in the deepest cavern on earth underneath a serpent whose venom would drip on the face of the god of mischief. Loki writhed in pain each time the venom would drip onto his face, causing the earth to shake. Balder’s death was the first sign of the coming of Ragnarök and the end of ages. The death of Balder explained to the Vikings why exactly the earth rumbles causing destruction and why Loki holds such a grudge against the Aesir. The Greeks believed that earthquakes took place whenever Poseidon struck the ground with his trident. Where Loki struggled to get away from the toxic venom of the serpent placed above his head, Poseidon struck the earth whenever he was in a bad mood or felt that the earth must be punished.
Lakapati: Hermaphrodite Goddess in Tagalog Mythology
Presenter(s): Kari Lien
Advisor(s): Dr. Eileen Jankowski
Lakapati, the hermaphrodite goddess of fertility and agriculture in pre-colonial Philippine mythology, still stands as an important figure in modern Filipino thought. While not all Filipinos today may pray to her to bless their crops and guard their pastures, many stories still circulate about this important goddess. Scholars speculate that the fact that early Tagalog society considered Lakapati to be androgynous/hermaphrodite suggested they appreciated the power balance between male and female she embodied. The Philippines are today are a predominantly Catholic country after Spanish missionaries arrived, so how much her androgyny is still emphasized will inform my research. A useful comparison will also be to consider similarities and differences between Lakapati and Demeter, the Greek goddess of fertility and agriculture, as well as consider Hermaphroditis, the androgynous son of Hermes and Aphrodite.