Óðr (Ódr), in Norse Mythology, is the husband of goddess Freyja and is father of Hnoss and Gersemi. Although the precise mythological meaning of the name is uncertain, the word itself means "wit, soul, spirit". Snorri Sturluson wrote in his books as follows: "Freyja is ranked next to Frigg: she is wedded to a man called Óðr, and their daughter, named Hnossa, is so very handsome that whatever is beautiful and precious is called by her name (hnosir.) But Óðr left his wife in order to travel into very remote countries. Since that time Freyja continually weeps, and her tears are drops of pure gold. She has a great variety of names, for having gone over many countries in search of her husband, each people gave her a different name. She is thus called and Hörn, Gefn, Sýr, and also Vanadís." (The Prose Edda, Gylfaginning (35), I. A. Blackwell's translation). "Njord's daughter Freyja was priestess of the sacrifices... Her husband was called Óðr, and her daughters Hnoss and Gersemi. They were so very beautiful, that afterwards the most precious jewels were called by their names." (Heimskringla, Chapter I, Lee Hollander's translation). Óðr is also mentioned briefly as Freyja's husband in the Poetic Edda, in the poems Völuspá and Hyndlulíoð, as well as the skaldic poems in Skáldskaparmál.
Hypotheses
Because Óðr appears very briefly in surviving sources (which is not a rare case in Norse Mythology, cf. Ullr, Hödr, Forseti, Gefjun, Sága, Nanna, Gullveig, etc), there are many speculations on this figure. Many believe that Freyja and Frigg are very likely originally two versions of the same goddess (see Connections between Frigg and Freyja), therefore Óðr is maybe a doublet or another name of Odin, who also often went on long journeys. The word Óðr is used in compounds to mean "fierce power, energy" (from Proto-Germanic *wōþuz; compare also the etymology of Odin.) Óðr is maybe the same as Óttar, Freyja's protégé in Hyndlulíoð, whom Hyndla referred to as "Freyja's man". Freyja, on the other hand, is often referred to as "Óðr's bride". The names Óðr and Óttar are very similar (cf. Odin/Othin), and many scholars think they are one. In Saxo's Deeds of the Danes (written in Latin), Syritha (Latin form of Sýr, one of Freyja's name) is the bride of Otharus (Latin form of Óttar). [1] While Syritha was daughter of a King, Otharus was of humble origin. Syritha was described as of great beauty that many tried to woo her but failed. A giant also wanted to marry Syritha, and carried her away. She was then rescued twice by Otharus, but he left her and went away. Syritha searched for Otharus and they later met again. She brought Otharus back to her father's place, and he became a noble. These characters in Saxo's accounts are very similar to Freyja and Óðr. In Our Fathers' Godsaga, Viktor Rydberg identified Óðr/Óttar with the hero Svipdag.
Óðr is potentially another name for Hermóðr. These names are similar: Óðr means "spirit", "the one endowed with spirit", Hermóðr means "courage", "the one endowed with martial spirit".[2] Hermóðr is described as the messenger of the gods who often went away on long journeys. He also journeyed to Hel in order to resurrect Baldur. In the Prose Edda, Gylfaginning (49), it is said that Hermóðr rode on Sleipnir for countless nights and finally reached the underworld. There Baldur gave him the arm ring Draupnir which Odin burnt in Baldur's funeral, and Nanna sent Frigg a linen smock and a gold ring to Fulla (Fulla is mentioned in the second Merseburg Charm as Freyja's sister). The ring Draupnir somehow later came into possession of Freyr, Freyja's brother, and he later used it to woo his wife, Gerd (as written in the poem Skírnismál). It is also possible that Óðr was one of the names of Baldr, who, as a renewing god of sun and light, died every autumn and went to the realm of Hel but was revived by the springtime.
References
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| List of Norse gods • Æsir • Vanir • Giants • Elves (Light Elves • Dark Elves) • Dwarves • Troll • Valkyries • Einherjar • Norns • Odin • Thor • Freyr • Freyja • Frigg • Heimdall • Loki • Baldr • Týr • Yggdrasil • Ginnungagap • Ragnarök |
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| Sources | Poetic Edda • Prose Edda • The Sagas • Volsung Cycle • Tyrfing Cycle • Rune stones • Old Norse language • Orthography • Later influence | |
| Society | Viking Age • Skald • Kenning • Blót • Seid • Numbers | |
| People, places and things | ||
