The End of the World Essay Example

ruler of Asgard. He was believed to bring heroes and kings to his Hall of the Slain after they had died in battle.

The purpose of this was to feast and be ready to defend Asgard when the time came. This reveals why the sacrifices the Norse made to him were of captives taken in war. Another truth that reveals why the sacrifices were hung could be because of Odin’s sacrifice of himself by hanging on the tree Yggdrasil to gain knowledge. Asgard represented the center of their world, as seen in the art below, the tree Yggdrasil provided knowledge to mankind and played an important role in their society. This truth places a great insight into the Norse’s moral beliefs.

It shows how important knowledge was. It also shows that the Warrior is revered and his job is one of the most important in their society. Although Ragnarok is inevitable, his bravery in defending Asgard is still an important point in this tale. This story is perfect for its warrior audiences. For the Hopi Indian the reaction to this “proof” that the story is believable would not get very far. Hopi culture taught them that animals have a close connection with humans which we saw in the importance of Totems earlier.

In Ragnarok the wolf Fenrir is one of the causes of the destruction.Hopi would not understand how an animal that is meant to be a part of them and a positive influence would be an aid in the devastation of their people. In fact, it would most likely be very upsetting to them. Hopi’s also didn’t place the same kind of emphasis on warriors as

the Norse did.

The Hopi’s value system was much more centered on peace and maintaining a good spirit in order to go to the land of the One Heart. They had a much more egalitarian view, in that they would’ve taught that things should be shared equally instead of warring with each other.Because of their myth about Spider Women the idea of Odin leading the Norse would go against their matrilineal belief system. The “truth” of the Ragnarok myth wouldn’t make sense to the Hopi because their apocalypse myth revolves around the destruction of people around them while they remained intact. In Ragnarok everyone knows they are doomed yet fights to their last breath. Hopi audiences’ reaction to the sacrifices and their reasoning behind it would also be lost.

Therefore, the Hopi Indians wouldn’t be able to relate to the Norse Mythology