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13.01.2020

Folkvang

Folkvang, derived from the Old Norse "Fólkvangr," meaning "Field of the People" or "Field of Armies," is the realm associated with the goddess Freya in Norse mythology.

Mentions of Folkvang are rare in Old Norse literature, occurring only twice: once in the poem Grímnismál, and again in the Prose Edda, which quotes the relevant stanza from Grímnismál as a source.

According to Grímnismál, Freya receives half of the "weapon-dead" into Folkvang after their deaths, while the other half go to Valhalla, the more famous hall of Odin. The poem does not provide specific criteria for determining who goes to Folkvang and who goes to Valhalla. It is important to note that various Old Norse texts offer contradictory information about who gains entry to Valhalla and on what basis. As such, this stanza in Grímnismál may be seen as a late attempt at systematization rather than reflecting a universally held belief among the Vikings.

Old Norse sources do not provide detailed descriptions of Folkvang or what the deceased do there. The Prose Edda mentions that Freya's hall in Folkvang is called Sessrumnir, translating to "Hall with Roomy Seats" or "Hall with Many Seats." However, the description of the hall is quite generic, merely describing it as "great and fair."

The idea that some of the dead find their way to Freya's realm appears to have been an established belief, but different sources present varying conceptions of who would go there and under what circumstances. For instance, Egil's Saga features a character who declares her intention never to eat again until she dines with Freya. This form of death, by self-imposed starvation, is notably different from the deaths in battle typically associated with Valhalla, making it challenging to reconcile these differing accounts. What is clear, though, is that Freya was believed to welcome some of the departed souls.

Folkvang

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