History of Loki, The Trickster God Essay - 1025 Words

Loki is known as the trickster god of Norse mythology and is even said to be one of the first anti-heroes. He is also probably one of the most well-known tricksters as well. In the Norse myths, he is often portrayed as being very mischievous and is always causing trouble for the gods. In fact, â€Å"he was so outrageously mischievous that he even sneaked his way into becoming a god† (Allen, and Saunders, par. 1). However, even though he almost always seems to be getting the gods into some kind of trouble, he also helps them at times in an attempt to get them out of their predicaments†¦even if those predicaments are his own fault to begin with. Even though Loki was considered to be one of the Aesir, the Norse gods, he was actually the son†¦show more content†¦Some of his most well-known transformations are those of the â€Å"flea, fly, giantess, salmon, seal, and bird† (McLeish, par. 2). He uses these transformations for various reasons, such as  "to benefit others†, â€Å"to trick them†, and â€Å"to save his own butt† (McLeish, par. 2). One of the most significant attributes of Loki is his connection to Ragnarà ¶k, or the end of the world according the Norse mythology. He triggers Ragnarà ¶k by â€Å"arranging the death of Baldur,† (Lindow, par. 6). He does this by tricking the blind god Hod into throwing a mistletoe spear at Baldur, killing him (McCoy, par. 9). He then turns against the gods and takes the side of the giant. Some of the major incidents that take place during the battle include: Jormungand, the giant serpent, slaying Thor; Fenrir, the wolf, killing Odin; and Loki and Heimdall mortally wounding each other (McCoy, par. 3 and 8). As punishment, the gods â€Å"tie him down to three rocks inside a cave† while â€Å"a venomous serpent sits above him, dripping poison onto him† (McCoy, par. 9). One myth in Norse mythology that features Loki’s ever-famous troubl e-making is â€Å"The Stealing of Iduna,† which is featured in the book â€Å"Asgard Stories: Tales from Norse Mythology† by Mary H. Foster and Mabel H. Cummings. In Foster’s and Cummings’s version of the story, it begins with Odin, â€Å"the wise father of the gods† (60), along with his brother Hà ¶nir and Loki, traveling aroundShow MoreRelatedTrickster-God-Creator1433 Words   |  6 PagesTricksters appear in the mythology and folklore of many cultures around the world. Although the power and relative divinity of each Trickster varies from tradition to tradition, Tricksters have important roles in the creation, development, and sometimes destruction, of each culture. The Coyote of Native North American traditions is often depicted as assisting the â€Å"Great Mystery† or â€Å"Great Spirit† in the creating and populating of the world (Leeming). 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