Hnoss: Difference between revisions
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{{short description|Norse deity}} |
{{short description|Norse deity}} |
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[[Image:Heimdall and little Hnossa by Willy Pogany.png|thumb|right|"[[Heimdallr|Heimdall]] and little Hnossa - how all things came to be" (1920) by [[Willy Pogany]].]] |
[[Image:Heimdall and little Hnossa by Willy Pogany.png|thumb|right|"[[Heimdallr|Heimdall]] and little Hnossa - how all things came to be" (1920) by [[Willy Pogany]].]] |
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'''Hnoss''' ([[Old Norse]]: {{IPA-non|ˈhnosː|}}, "treasure") is one of the daughters of [[Freyja]] and [[Óðr]] in [[Norse mythology]].{{Sfn|Orchard|1997|p=87}} |
'''Hnoss''' ([[Old Norse]]: {{IPA-non|ˈhnosː|}}, "jewel" or "treasure") is one of the daughters of [[Freyja]] and [[Óðr]] in [[Norse mythology]].{{Sfn|Orchard|1997|p=87}} |
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== Name == |
== Name == |
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The [[Old Norse]] term ''Hnoss'' has been translated in a variety of ways by scholars and folklorists. The Goddess Myths of the Great Mother |
The [[Old Norse]] term ''Hnoss'' has been translated in a variety of ways by scholars and folklorists. David Leeming and Christopher Fee in their joint book ''The Goddess: Myths of the Great Mother''<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Fee |first1=Christopher |last2=Leeming |first2=David |date=2016 |title=The Goddess: Myths of the Great Mother |website=[[ProQuest]] |url=https://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=4526841}}</ref> claim that Hnoss' name was drawn from the word for "gem," in which she is described as sparkling like a diamond. Given Hnoss is the daughter of the most beautiful goddess Freyja, it should come as no surprise that jewels bear her name. |
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Hilda Ellis Davidson in her ''Roles of the Northern Goddess''<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Davidson |first=Hilda Ellis |date=1998 |title=Roles of the Northern Goddess |website=[[ProQuest]] |url=https://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=165452&query=hnoss}}</ref> similarly claims that Hnoss' name derives from a great beauty whose name may be "used for treasure in poetry"<ref name=":0" /> or simply "treasure."<ref name=":0" /> This translation shares semantic and etymological similarities with the Icelandic word ''hnoss'' (meaning "nipper") as well as the [[Old Danish]] words ''noss'' (meaning "sweetheart") and ''nusse'' (meaning "infant"). In the [[Prose Edda]], [[Snorri Sturlusson|Snorri Sturluson]] states that beautiful things were called ''hnossir'' (Old Norse: 'treasures') after her name. |
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Despite |
Despite various interpretations, ''The Concept of The Goddess'',<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last1=Billington |first1=Sandra |last2=Green |first2=Miranda |title=The Concept of The Goddess |website=[[ProQuest]] |url=https://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=166173&query=hnoss}}</ref> states that Hnoss "bears her mother's eyelash-rain,"<ref name=":1" /> which translates to "there is gold on the precious object."<ref name=":1" /> |
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== Attestations == |
== Attestations == |
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The 12th-century [[skald]] [[Einarr Skúlason]], cited by [[Snorri Sturluson|Snorri]] in ''Skáldskaparmál'', refers to Hnoss in a kenning as Freyia's "glorious child" and Freyr’s niece: |
The 12th-century [[skald]] [[Einarr Skúlason]], cited by [[Snorri Sturluson|Snorri]] in ''Skáldskaparmál'', refers to Hnoss in a kenning as Freyia's "glorious child" and Freyr’s niece: |
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{{Poem quote|text=I am able to possess Horn’s [Freyia’s] gold-wrapped glorious child [Hnoss; hnoss = treasure]. We received a valuable treasure. Ocean’s fire [gold] rests on shield’s damager [axe]. Freyr’s niece [Hnoss] bears her mother’s eyelash-rain [tears]|char=|sign=[[Einarr Skúlason]]|title=''[[Skáldskaparmál]]''|source=36–37, trans. A. Faulkes, 1987.}} |
{{Poem quote|text=I am able to possess Horn’s [Freyia’s] gold-wrapped glorious child [Hnoss; hnoss = treasure]. We received a valuable treasure. Ocean’s fire [gold] rests on shield’s damager [axe]. Freyr’s niece [Hnoss] bears her mother’s eyelash-rain [tears]|char=|sign=[[Einarr Skúlason]]|title=''[[Skáldskaparmál]]''|source=36–37, trans. A. Faulkes, 1987.}} |
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=== Little Hnoss === |
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Hnossa was exploited as a child as a pawn to get her father Odur<ref name=":52">{{Cite web |title=Odur Wikipedia |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%93%C3%B0r}}</ref> back. People predicted that Hnoss would reunite her mother Freya and father Odur, according to The Children of Odin, The Book of Northern Myths<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |last=Colum |first=Padraic |date=2008 |title=The Children of Odin, The Book of Northern Myths |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/24737/24737-h/24737-h.htm}}</ref>. As a child, Hnoss would go to Bifröst<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bifröst |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bifr%C3%B6st}}</ref>, the Rainbow Bridge, to meet Odur if he was traveling in that direction. During her time at the Rainbow Bridge, Hnoss was entertained with stories by Heimdall. Heimdall, who kept watch over the Rainbow Bridge, revealed to Hnoss that he possessed night vision and never slept. Heimdall<ref>{{Cite web |title=Heimdall Wikipedia |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heimdall}}</ref> claimed to have existed since the beginning of time and told Hnoss tales about the creation of various things. While Odur<ref name=":52" /> remained absent, Hnoss was taken to Baldur's<ref name=":32">{{Cite web |title=Baldur Wikipedia |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldr}}</ref> Stead to comfort her in her sorrow. Baldur's Stead was believed to be a place where healing occurred. In order to assist Hnoss cope with her sorrow of her absent father, Baldur's<ref name=":32" /> wife Nanna<ref name=":42">{{Cite web |title=Nanna (Norse deity) Wikipedia |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanna_(Norse_deity)}}</ref> cradled her. With Nanna<ref name=":42" /> by her side, Hnoss shared a strange dream she had about Queen Hela<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hela (character) Wikipedia |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hela_(character)}}</ref>, a queen who was half living woman and half corpse. In Hnoss' dream Hela entered Asgard<ref>{{Cite web |title=Asgard Wikipedia |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asgard}}</ref> and declared "A lord of the Æsir I must have to dwell with me in my realm beneath the earth."<ref name=":22" /> Hnoss was paralyzed by fear after experiencing this dream. When Hnoss revealed her dream, everyone became silent. At that moment, Hnoss' presence in this story came to an end. |
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== References == |
== References == |
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Latest revision as of 00:24, 26 December 2023
Hnoss (Old Norse: [ˈhnosː], "jewel" or "treasure") is one of the daughters of Freyja and Óðr in Norse mythology.[1]
Name
[edit]The Old Norse term Hnoss has been translated in a variety of ways by scholars and folklorists. David Leeming and Christopher Fee in their joint book The Goddess: Myths of the Great Mother[2] claim that Hnoss' name was drawn from the word for "gem," in which she is described as sparkling like a diamond. Given Hnoss is the daughter of the most beautiful goddess Freyja, it should come as no surprise that jewels bear her name.
Hilda Ellis Davidson in her Roles of the Northern Goddess[3] similarly claims that Hnoss' name derives from a great beauty whose name may be "used for treasure in poetry"[3] or simply "treasure."[3] This translation shares semantic and etymological similarities with the Icelandic word hnoss (meaning "nipper") as well as the Old Danish words noss (meaning "sweetheart") and nusse (meaning "infant"). In the Prose Edda, Snorri Sturluson states that beautiful things were called hnossir (Old Norse: 'treasures') after her name.
Despite various interpretations, The Concept of The Goddess,[4] states that Hnoss "bears her mother's eyelash-rain,"[4] which translates to "there is gold on the precious object."[4]
Attestations
[edit]In Gylfaginning (The Beguiling of Gylfi), Hnoss is portrayed as the beautiful daughter of Freyja and Óð:
Freyia is highest in rank next to Frigg. She was married to someone called Od. Hnoss is the name of their daughter. She is so beautiful that from her name whatever is beautiful and precious is called hnossir [treasures].
— Gylfaginning, 34–35, trans. A. Faulkes, 1987.
In Skáldskaparmál (The Language of Poetry), a þulur (18–22) mentions Hnoss as the daughter of Freyja ("How shall Freyia be referred to? By calling her (...) mother of Hnoss"),[5] and in Ynglinga saga a passage (Chapter Ten) describes "Hnoss and Gersimi" as her daughters.[6] Gersemi (whose name also means 'treasure' and only appears in this passage of the Prose Edda) could be the same figure as Hnoss.[7]
The 12th-century skald Einarr Skúlason, cited by Snorri in Skáldskaparmál, refers to Hnoss in a kenning as Freyia's "glorious child" and Freyr’s niece:
I am able to possess Horn’s [Freyia’s] gold-wrapped glorious child [Hnoss; hnoss = treasure]. We received a valuable treasure. Ocean’s fire [gold] rests on shield’s damager [axe]. Freyr’s niece [Hnoss] bears her mother’s eyelash-rain [tears]
— Einarr Skúlason, Skáldskaparmál, 36–37, trans. A. Faulkes, 1987.
References
[edit]- ^ Orchard 1997, p. 87.
- ^ Fee, Christopher; Leeming, David (2016). "The Goddess: Myths of the Great Mother". ProQuest.
- ^ a b c Davidson, Hilda Ellis (1998). "Roles of the Northern Goddess". ProQuest.
- ^ a b c Billington, Sandra; Green, Miranda. "The Concept of The Goddess". ProQuest.
- ^ Faulkes 1987, p. 186.
- ^ Faulkes 1987, p. 157.
- ^ Orchard 1997, p. 67.
Bibliography
[edit]- de Vries, Jan (1962). Altnordisches Etymologisches Worterbuch (1977 ed.). Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-05436-3.
- Faulkes, Anthony, trans. (1987). Edda (1995 ed.). Everyman. ISBN 0-460-87616-3.
- Lindow, John (2001). Norse Mythology: A Guide to Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-983969-8.
- Orchard, Andy (1997). Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend. Cassell. ISBN 978-0-304-34520-5.