Roles of the Northern Goddess by Hilda Ellis Davidson
Review by Jennifer (mywolfalways)
Through extensive research of both primary and secondary sources, Davidson explores the elusive and often misunderstood sacred feminine found in goddesses and female spirits from across northern Europe. While the book’s main focus is on providing a view of the figures in the north, the author sometimes provides companion examples with figures in the Greco-Roman tradition to provide a better understanding of the aspects of those in the north.
“Mistress of the Animals” introduces the reader to the common archetype of the hunting goddess. Appeals were often made to her before a hunt asking for her favor to acquire prey and to grant mercy to keep the hunter from becoming prey. She could sometimes grant wealth and opportunity; however, she could just as often put them to their doom. Also explored is the goddess’s special connection with more domestic animals, such as cows, horses, and dogs.
Presented within the pages of “Mistress of the Grain” is the link between female deities, crops, protection of the town, marriage, and bearing children. Tradition tells of the appeals to these guardians by escorting the avatar of the goddess from one town to another or plowing a protective circle around the town. The grain goddesses in particular appear to have the common theme of being triple goddess figures, that is three aspects of femininity making one whole.
“Mistress of Distaff and Loom” explores the common thread between goddess and weaving. Spinning and weaving were vital in these areas due to the sometimes extreme low temperatures. Such pride was taken in these skills that even head women of households were known to take on these duties themselves. The patron goddesses of these skills were fickle and were said to tangle threads and dirty distaffs if displeased; however, they commonly granted favors. The symbolic connection between thread and the events in human lives are also found here in the north.
“Mistress of the Household” provides information that some readers may be familiar with, such as goddesses being patrons of marriage, childbirth, and the raising of children. Even though some were concerned with the entirety of the household, many were relegated to only certain areas, entrance and hearth being the most common. It is also interesting to note that household Goddesses were often familial figures that were brought from the wife’s original household to that of her new husband’s.
The “Mistress of Life and Death” makes varied appearances in northern Europe from the welcoming presence of the valkyries to the terrifying visage of Hel. The curious contrast between the many funeral rites all over Europe are fascinating, especially when it comes to the duties of the women left behind. In most cases, women were charged with cleaning the body while men prepared the pyre for burning or the grave for burial. In some areas, especially Ireland, keening over the dead was a profession reserved especially for women, bringing to mind the screeching of the banshees in local folklore.
While this book would probably be more accurately titled with “goddesses”, goddess is much more provocative to most readers. When reading, I sometimes felt that the writing meandered; however, presenting the amount of material Davidson provides can sometimes be difficult to balance. Some of the information, backed up by an extensive bibliography, runs counter to what many may have read and heard from new age sources. I believe that this is a wonderful beginning for those new to the mythology of northern Europe or a great source to bring it all together for those who are already familiar.
Mythology is fascinating to me, although I’ve always preferred Greco/Roman to Norse legends. However, this book’s focus on the feminine is intriguing, and I think I’ll add this book to my huge TBR pile!