Episode 36 - The Lay of Thrym (Norse Mythology)

Today’s story is a Norse myth, The Lay of Thrym from the Poetic Edda. Thor’s hammer, Mjöllnir is stolen by Thrym, the lord of giants, who demanded that the only way Thor could get his hammer was if he could marry the goddess Freyja. When she refuses, the gods come up with a plan which will require Loki’s tact and resourcefulness to get Mjöllnir back.   The story has interesting themes around choice when Freyja refuses, gender norms, stereotypical behavior expected from men and women reinforcing the binary in gender and that one is better than the other. It also touches on societal expectations of toxic masculinity and gender hierarchy with being masculine perceived as superior and feminine as weak/degrading irrespective of the gender one identify with.