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Nine Daughters of Ægir and Rán

January 01, 1970

In Norse mythology, the goddess Rán and the jötunn Ægir both personify the sea, and together they have nine daughters who personify waves. Each daughter's name reflects poetic terms for waves. The sisters are attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources; the Prose Edda, composed in the 13th century; and in the poetry of skalds. Scholars have theorized that these daughters may be the same figures as the nine mothers of the god Heimdallr.

The Daughters of Ægir and Rán as depicted in a grayscale version of a painting by Hans Dahl (1849-1937)

Names edit

The names of Ægir and Rán's daughters occur commonly in Old Norse sources. Lists of their names appear twice in Skáldskaparmál, a section of the Prose Edda (for detail, see Prose Edda section below).

Name Meaning Notes
Blóðughadda "Bloody-hair"[1] According to scholar John Lindow this name "[refers] to reddish foam atop a wave".[1] Scholar Rudolf Simek says that "the name does not appear to be too appropriate for a wave, but perhaps it was supposed to convey the wispy, thread-like appearance of the water streaming from the crest of the wave."[2]
Bylgja "Billow"[3] Employed as a common noun[3]
Dröfn or Bára According to Anthony Faulkes, Dröfn means "comber", whereas Bára translates to "wave"[4] According to Andy Orchard, 'Dröfn means 'foaming sea'.[5] Bára replaces Dröfn in a list of the daughter in Skáldskaparmál.[6] Dröfn also appears as a common noun.[7]
Dúfa "Wave"[1]
Hefring or Hevring "Lifting"[1]
Himinglæva "Transparent-on-top"[1]
Hrönn "Wave"[8] Employed as a common noun[8]
Kólga "Cool-wave"[1]
Uðr or Unn "Wave"[9] Employed as a common noun, also appears as a name for Odin and as the name of a river[9]

Attestations edit

 
The neck appears with Ægir's wave daughters in a piece by Swedish painter Nils Blommér, 1850, based on a poem by Arvid August Afzelius.

Poetic Edda edit

References to the waves as 'Ægir's daughters' appear in the Poetic Edda. The poem Helgakviða Hundingsbana I describes how the hero Helgi's boat crashes through intense seas, in doing so referencing Rán, Ægir, and their daughters as personifications of the sea. For example, two sequential stanzas reference the wave daughters:

Once the longships regrouped, only
Kolga's sisters could be heard crashing.
a sound as if swells and bluffs were bursting.[10]


Helgi had the high sails heightened,
the unfailing crew rallying through
the rollers, Ægir's dreaded daughters trying
to overthrow their stay-bridled sea-steeds.[10]

Prose Edda edit

The daughters are mentioned several times in the Prose Edda. Section 25 of Skáldskaparmál ("How shall sea be referred to?") collects manners in which poets may refer to the sea, including "husband of Ran" and "land of Ran and of Ægir's daughters", but also "father of Ægir's daughters". The section contains the first of two instances of a list of the wave daughters (for discussion regarding their names, see Name section above).[11]

In chapter 61 of the Nafnaþulur subsection of Skáldskaparmál, the author again recounts the names of the nine daughters with a slight variation (here Dröfn is replaced with Bára).[12]

Scholarly reception and interpretation edit

 
Heimdallr Lifted by the Nine Wave Maidens by Karl Ehrenberg depicts Heimdallr's mothers as 'wave maidens' (German Wellenjungfrauen), 1882

Some scholars have linked the Nine Daughters of Ægir and Rán with the Nine Mothers of Heimdallr, an identification that would mean that Heimdallr was thus born from the waves of the sea. However, this connection has been questioned on the grounds that the names presented for the Nine Daughters of Ægir and Rán and the Nine Mothers of Heimdallr (as listed in Völuspá hin skamma) do not match.[13] Scholar John Lindow comments that the identification of Heimdallr's mothers as Ægir and Rán's daughters do, however, match on the grounds that Ægir and Rán's daughters, like Heimdallr's mothers, are sisters, and that two separate traditions about Heimdallr's mothers may explain the differences between the two.[14]

See also edit

  • Children of Lir, children of the personified sea in Irish folklore
  • Rhinemaidens, characters from Richard Wagner's opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f Lindow (2001:49).
  2. ^ Simek (2007 [1993]:38-39).
  3. ^ a b Faulkes (1995 [1989]:232).
  4. ^ Faulkes (1995 [1989]:233, 230).
  5. ^ Orchard (1997:34).
  6. ^ Faulkes (1995 [1989]:231, 141).
  7. ^ Faulkes (1995:233).
  8. ^ a b Faulkes (1995 [1989]:242).
  9. ^ a b Faulkes (1995 [1989]:257).
  10. ^ a b Dodds (2014:129).
  11. ^ Faulkes (1995 [1989]:91).
  12. ^ Faulkes (1995 [1989]:141).
  13. ^ Simek (2007:136).
  14. ^ Lindow (2002:169).

References edit

  • Dodds, Jeramy. Trans. 2014. The Poetic Edda. Coach House Books. ISBN 978-1-55245-296-7
  • Faulkes, Anthony. Trans. 1995 [1989]. Edda. Everyman. ISBN 0-460-87616-3
  • Lindow, John. 2002. Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-515382-0
  • Orchard, Andy. 1997. Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend. Cassell. ISBN 0-304-34520-2
  • Simek, Rudolf. 2007 [1993]. Translated by Angela Hall. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. D.S. Brewer. ISBN 0-85991-513-1

January 01, 1970
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In Norse mythology the goddess Ran and the jotunn AEgir both personify the sea and together they have nine daughters who personify waves Each daughter s name reflects poetic terms for waves The sisters are attested in the Poetic Edda compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources the Prose Edda composed in the 13th century and in the poetry of skalds Scholars have theorized that these daughters may be the same figures as the nine mothers of the god Heimdallr The Daughters of AEgir and Ran as depicted in a grayscale version of a painting by Hans Dahl 1849 1937 Contents 1 Names 2 Attestations 2 1 Poetic Edda 2 2 Prose Edda 3 Scholarly reception and interpretation 4 See also 5 Notes 6 ReferencesNames editThe names of AEgir and Ran s daughters occur commonly in Old Norse sources Lists of their names appear twice in Skaldskaparmal a section of the Prose Edda for detail see Prose Edda section below Name Meaning Notes Blodughadda Bloody hair 1 According to scholar John Lindow this name refers to reddish foam atop a wave 1 Scholar Rudolf Simek says that the name does not appear to be too appropriate for a wave but perhaps it was supposed to convey the wispy thread like appearance of the water streaming from the crest of the wave 2 Bylgja Billow 3 Employed as a common noun 3 Drofn or Bara According to Anthony Faulkes Drofn means comber whereas Bara translates to wave 4 According to Andy Orchard Drofn means foaming sea 5 Bara replaces Drofn in a list of the daughter in Skaldskaparmal 6 Drofn also appears as a common noun 7 Dufa Wave 1 Hefring or Hevring Lifting 1 Himinglaeva Transparent on top 1 Hronn Wave 8 Employed as a common noun 8 Kolga Cool wave 1 Udr or Unn Wave 9 Employed as a common noun also appears as a name for Odin and as the name of a river 9 Attestations edit nbsp The neck appears with AEgir s wave daughters in a piece by Swedish painter Nils Blommer 1850 based on a poem by Arvid August Afzelius Poetic Edda edit References to the waves as AEgir s daughters appear in the Poetic Edda The poem Helgakvida Hundingsbana I describes how the hero Helgi s boat crashes through intense seas in doing so referencing Ran AEgir and their daughters as personifications of the sea For example two sequential stanzas reference the wave daughters Once the longships regrouped only Kolga s sisters could be heard crashing a sound as if swells and bluffs were bursting 10 Helgi had the high sails heightened the unfailing crew rallying through the rollers AEgir s dreaded daughters trying to overthrow their stay bridled sea steeds 10 Prose Edda edit The daughters are mentioned several times in the Prose Edda Section 25 of Skaldskaparmal How shall sea be referred to collects manners in which poets may refer to the sea including husband of Ran and land of Ran and of AEgir s daughters but also father of AEgir s daughters The section contains the first of two instances of a list of the wave daughters for discussion regarding their names see Name section above 11 In chapter 61 of the Nafnathulur subsection of Skaldskaparmal the author again recounts the names of the nine daughters with a slight variation here Drofn is replaced with Bara 12 Scholarly reception and interpretation edit nbsp Heimdallr Lifted by the Nine Wave Maidens by Karl Ehrenberg depicts Heimdallr s mothers as wave maidens German Wellenjungfrauen 1882 Some scholars have linked the Nine Daughters of AEgir and Ran with the Nine Mothers of Heimdallr an identification that would mean that Heimdallr was thus born from the waves of the sea However this connection has been questioned on the grounds that the names presented for the Nine Daughters of AEgir and Ran and the Nine Mothers of Heimdallr as listed in Voluspa hin skamma do not match 13 Scholar John Lindow comments that the identification of Heimdallr s mothers as AEgir and Ran s daughters do however match on the grounds that AEgir and Ran s daughters like Heimdallr s mothers are sisters and that two separate traditions about Heimdallr s mothers may explain the differences between the two 14 See also editChildren of Lir children of the personified sea in Irish folklore Rhinemaidens characters from Richard Wagner s opera cycle Der Ring des NibelungenNotes edit a b c d e f Lindow 2001 49 Simek 2007 1993 38 39 a b Faulkes 1995 1989 232 Faulkes 1995 1989 233 230 Orchard 1997 34 Faulkes 1995 1989 231 141 Faulkes 1995 233 a b Faulkes 1995 1989 242 a b Faulkes 1995 1989 257 a b Dodds 2014 129 Faulkes 1995 1989 91 Faulkes 1995 1989 141 Simek 2007 136 Lindow 2002 169 References editDodds Jeramy Trans 2014 The Poetic Edda Coach House Books ISBN 978 1 55245 296 7 Faulkes Anthony Trans 1995 1989 Edda Everyman ISBN 0 460 87616 3 Lindow John 2002 Norse Mythology A Guide to the Gods Heroes Rituals and Beliefs Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 515382 0 Orchard Andy 1997 Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend Cassell ISBN 0 304 34520 2 Simek Rudolf 2007 1993 Translated by Angela Hall Dictionary of Northern Mythology D S Brewer ISBN 0 85991 513 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nine Daughters of AEgir and Ran amp oldid 1212034762, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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