Ragnarök is one of the most well-known events in mythology, along with the ending of the Mayan calendar, and to those who don’t believe in religion, Armageddon. Almost every major civilisation has its own tale of death and destruction, and despite them being centuries, even thousands of years and tens of thousands of miles apart, many are rather similar.
You will no doubt have heard of Ragnarök. It’s one of the most widely known mythological events, often appearing in movies and television shows. However, did you also know that the Norse mythological event is also one of the most misrepresented when it comes to what actually happens? Ragnarök isn’t the eternal end of the world it is often made out to be. Let’s find out what Ragnarök really is and how it pans out.
What Is Ragnarök, really?
Ragnarök is the end of the world, but not really. You see, if you believe Hollywood, you’ll think that the age of men will end with all the gods dying and a giant wolf swallowing the moon after a climactic battle between gods, giants and monsters. The world ends in eternal darkness, and time stops, right?
Wrong. Don’t believe everything you’ve been told. On the contrary, there is often one element missing from the tale – rebirth. Ragnarök isn’t the end of all things; it is the beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning, if you will. After Ragnarök, a new cycle begins. That’s not something you get to hear or see often in the movies.
What Happens?
Ragnarök begins with a series of signs. Firstly, there is a bitter winter and no summer for three years. After the Fimbulwinter, societies begin to collapse, with brothers fighting brothers and the end of all morality. This is followed by the death of the sun and the moon, swallowed by the wolves Sköll and Hati. The great tree Yggdrasil is lost as the world descends into darkness. Gradually, the boundary between this world and the realm of the gods begins to break down.
What follows is epic. Loki escapes captivity, Fenrir and Jörmungandr, giant wolves and serpents appear, and the gods’ enemies appear on a ship made of fingernails (Naglfar). The final battle takes place on Vigrid. Odin is killed by Fenrir; Thor manages to kill Jörmungandr but dies from its poison. Freyr loses her life to the fire giant, Surtr, and Loki and Heimdall both take each other out.
Finally, Surtr burns the world, the land falls into the sea, and the sky collapses, taking the stars with it. Nothing remains in the chaos.
That Sounds Rather Apocalyptic to Me
It does, doesn’t it? Don’t despair, though. Here’s the key part – it isn’t the end. In fact, from the ocean, a new world emerges. Two humans have also survived by clinging to Yggdrasil. Moreover, the surviving gods (such as Baldur) emerge from Hel and new gods are created. Finally, the daughter of the old sun takes up her role, shining in the sky as Earth is restored.
What’s important to note here is that the world does not end as Hollywood likes to imagine. Instead, Ragnarök is about cyclical renewal. The Earth rises again from all the chaos. There are always survivors. Time is not linear; it’s a cycle that repeats over and over again. Much like the ancient Mayan calendar, the rising of the sun in Egyptian mythology, or even the resurrection of the body and soul of Jesus Christ – Ragnarök isn’t just about destruction or the end of the world – it’s about the promise of a new one.
Why Does Hollywood Get It So Wrong?
Hollywood has a knack for taking the more dramatic elements of a story, using them to propagate its own tale, and coming up with a half-hearted ending to suit its own needs. Let’s face it: Hollywood hasn’t come up with an accurate William Wallace or U-Boat film without messing up history along the way – what makes you think they’d do any better with mythology, which is even more open to interpretation?
The idea of wanton death and destruction makes for an epic film, for great cinema. However, Hollywood is less keen on the rebirth aspect, instead often having a hero save the day. When they do go the whole hog, they’ll only touch on rebirth cycles briefly and fleetingly, often right before the credits.
The truth of the matter is that Ragnarök is no different to other mythological tales about the end of the world. After all, despite the distances and times involved, all civilisations created myths that mimic life and the world as they saw it unfolding around them. Ragnarök and its fellow cataclysmic events are dire, but even the Norsemen managed to come up with a happy ending. If the Vikings of all (who love unhappy endings) managed to create a tale with the ultimately happy conclusion of rebirth, why can’t Hollywood?