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On-demand recording
An Introduction to Norse Mythology
with Dr Tom Morcom
£13.50
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What you’ll explore
- Why Norse religion is almost unknowable — and why the myths survived only in Christian Iceland.
- Two 13th-century books that contain everything we know.
- Creation from a murdered giant, through to Ragnarök, where the gods lose.
- Gods who are petty, doomed, and often very funny.
- Surprising material on gender, plus what dwarves and elves really were.
- The long shadow: Wagner, the Nazis, Marvel, and the fight over Norse myth today.
About this talk
Discover the strange and beautiful world of Odin, Thor, Loki and Freyja with Dr Tom Morcom. Followed by Q&A.
What do the myths of the Vikings reveal about the people who told them?
From shape-shifting gods and monstrous giants to prophecy, betrayal and the coming of Ragnarök, Old Norse mythology is filled with tales of chaos, crudity and hopelessness. Yet these stories are more than epic adventures: they offer a glimpse into the fears, values and imagination of the medieval Norse world.
In this talk, Dr Tom Morcom explores the origins of Norse mythology through the earliest sources, uncovering the weirdness and beauty woven through these myths. Journey into a cosmos on the brink of collapse and discover why these ancient stories continue to grip us today.
A peek inside
Your speaker: Dr Tom Morcom
Dr Tom Morcom is the Associate Lecturer in Old Norse Literature and Language at UCL. He teaches on Old Norse mythology, Viking-Age history, and narratology, the study of the art of storytelling. He has previously lectured on Old Norse Literature and Language at the University of Oxford, where he also received his DPhil. He is also currently a council member of the Viking Society for Northern Research.
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