Abstract
The primary object of the thesis is to discuss a particular group of female
supernatural beings called 'nornir' and their relationship to the Old Norse
concept of fate. Although well-known and often mentioned in scholarship
dealing with Old Norse culture, these beings are all too often dealt with in
overly superficial ways. The research presented in the thesis seeks to go
much deeper in order to properly understand the nature and role of 'nornir' in
the Old Norse world view, and the conclusions reached importantly overturn a
number of stereotypical conceptions that have long dominated our
understanding of 'nornir'. The discussion of these beings fall into four main
chapters:
- A discussion of the similarities and differences between 'nornir' and
several other kinds of female supernatural beings;
- A discussion of certain symbolic aspects relating the dwelling place of
the 'nornir' to their strongly feminine nature;
- A discussion of the well-established image in which fate is represented
through different kinds of textile work, and the problems that surround
this metaphor in the Old Norse sources;
- A discussion of the Old Norse vocabulary relating to fate and the quasilegal aspects of the 'nornir';
The thesis focuses on Old Norse culture and uses predominantly Old Norse
source material. Comparative material, especially Celtic, Anglo-Saxon and
Classical, is, however, employed when this is thought to be relevant.
