Norse Myths

[LoveMachine]

This has probably been stated many times but I really need to get it off my chest.

Rand is similer to Tyr, losing a hand and God of war buisiness. Perrin is Thor , Hammer and Perrins belt, Always wears it kinda like Thors belt of might. Mat and Odin, spear , hanging on the tree of wisdom by his spear. Mat in the first book also resembles Lokis descending to evil.

Gjallahorn sounding the last battle and calling the heroes of Vallhalla to fight.

[Jedimuppet]

This has probably been stated many times but I really need to get it off my chest.

Rand is similer to Tyr, losing a hand and God of war buisiness. Perrin is Thor , Hammer and Perrins belt, Always wears it kinda like Thors belt of might. Mat and Odin, spear , hanging on the tree of wisdom by his spear. Mat in the first book also resembles Lokis descending to evil.

Gjallahorn sounding the last battle and calling the heroes of Vallhalla to fight.

 

RJ has lifted myths out of just about every culture from Hindu to American Indian.

 

Mat giving up his eye and hanging also closely parallels Odin.

 

I think there are several indepth articles or discussion about this if you search for them.

J

[Vo0]

also mat is prince of the ravens and mins vision of the ravens on his shoulders odin had two ravens huginn and muninn, thought and memory respectively :)

[ono-neko]

Here's some more reading about the relation between WoT and Nrose Mythology:

 

http://linuxmafia.com/jordan/3_sources/3.02_norse.html

[Gambler]

Perrin is actually based on the Slavic god Perun, although honestly i dont see much resemblence.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel_of_Time is a great link that shows parallels between R.J's work and myths as well as other stories.

[Jellybelly]

None of the characters are based solely on one mythological figure.

[Kepen heal]

Another thing, this book is kinda like King Arthur as well.

So it is connected to many different legends as well.

The Sword that isnt a sword, is like the sword in the stone, Rand uniting nations, the aiel would be the picts that he rallys, there are many many coincidings (sp)

 

One thing on the norse myth thing, just read an okay book on that kinda thing. Sea Of Trolls??????

Anyone else read that.

I thought it was okay, but kinda predictible.

[Jhirrad]

I actually got a grant to do some research into this. I think that the preliminary paper which I wrote is still here on DM somewhere. It might not be though. DM has changed a lot since I first arrived back in 1999.

 

Anyway, the fact is that Jordan really takes a lot of different myths and melds them into his world. And it is clear that he doesn't take any one single mythological figure and base a character of it. I think that Mat is one of the most interesting in this respect. The two major actors that he seems to be based on are Odin and Loki. The Odin comparisons are clear: he had two ravens, whose names were Thought and Memory. The inscription on Mat's spear is all about Thought and Memory, and he is clearly connected with ravens. The whole losing an eye thing: Odin gave up one eye for greater "sight". His hat and spear are just like the ones that Odin has. There are so many similarities that it's a little scary. And yet, he is very much Loki, in that there is undeniable Chaos that surrounds him. His is the mischief maker. All of the major characters can be similarly likened to various mythological figures. And while it is clear that Jordan leans heavily on Norse myth, much like Tolkien, he did not do so exclusively. The Arthurian references are blatant, as is some Judea-Christian myth.

 

Overall, I think that one of the things I have always like the most in Jordan's work is the fact that he isn't afraid to take those myths and make them his own, using what he likes where he likes it, refusing to be constrained by their inherent limitations.

 

Jhirrad

[Luckers]

I too have studied this to some extent. A look at eastern religious and philosophical ideologies and mythologies may benefit you, for they too are rampant within the Wheel of Time.