Sif and thor

RLynn

Active Member
I recently watched a delightful movie entitled Feed the Fish. I think the setting is some small community in northern Wisconsin. At one point the main character (X), a writer of childrens' books, is having a conversation with an older guy (Y), who seems gruff and illiterate. Here's a paraphrase of their conversation.

X: (Looking at some photos of a girl) Who's this?
Y: That's Sif. She works around here somewhere.
X: Sif? What kind of a name is that?
Y: (Raising his voice)You know, Sif, the wife of Thor, the god of thunder. (Now shouting) Sif!

There is no further overt reference to mythology, although Sif becomes the love interest of the main character.

By the way, the actor who plays the sheriff also played Monk in the TV series of the same name.
 

LegendofJoe

Active Member
Great story, I love it.
Sif does not have a big role in Norse myth. She has long beautiful hair which was cut off by the wily Loki.
Thor demanded that Loki make restitution, so Loki went to the land of the dwarves deep within the earth.
Dwarves were masters at metallurgy and they crafted, among other gifts, new hair for Sif that was made out of gold.
When it touched Sif's head the golden threads attached themselves magically and was more beautiful than her natural hair.
 

Alexia

Member
If you are interested in Norse mythology, then help VuduPins Productions make a film based off of the Norse myths of Baldur's death. The film is called "Baldur's Dreams" and is centered around Odin, Frigg, Baldur, and Loki. Before we can begin filming, we need to raise funds. Please help us and go to this site and donate money. Spread the word and help this film get made. Every penny counts. Thanks!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/vudupins/baldurs-dreams-a-norse-myth-short-film
 

Artemis

Member
Wow! I did not know that Mighty Thor had a wife named Sif. Was she also a goddess or a mortal? Did they have any children? Where can I read about that marriage?
 

LegendofJoe

Active Member
There is not much written on Sif apart from how she got her hair of gold.
She is a goddess, perhaps a fertility goddess.
Thor had three children: his daughter Thrud (mighty woman), and two sons Modi and Magni.
However, only one or two of these children were with Sif; Thor had a giantess lover for awhile named Jarnsaxa.
I believe the primary source for Thor's family is Snorri's Edda.
 

Lyfing

New Member
Some see in Thor and Sif a fertility myth. Sif's hair representing the unharvested fields and her having it cut off them being harvested. And, it is a belief that without the thunderstorms heralding in the growing season there would be no growth..
 

The Bane-less

New Member
I like Norse myths. The Gods are so vulnerable - Hod was blind, Balder died, Tyr had one hand, Odin had one eye, Sif wore a wig.
 

Myrddin

Well-Known Member
I like Norse myths. The Gods are so vulnerable - Hod was blind, Balder died, Tyr had one hand, Odin had one eye, Sif wore a wig.
Odin had one eye because he traded the other one to the Norns for a sip from the well of wisdom. From this he gained insight into Ragnarok, the coming war, and also, when he walked among the humans as The Wanderer, he pulled his wide brimmed hat down to hide it.
 

Rhonda Tharp

Active Member
Odin had one eye because he traded the other one to the Norns for a sip from the well of wisdom. From this he gained insight into Ragnarok, the coming war, and also, when he walked among the humans as The Wanderer, he pulled his wide brimmed hat down to hide it.
In symbolism books that I have read, the authors claimed the left side was attributed to the female, and the right side was attributed to the male. (same with east/right and west/left). I found it interesting that when looking at sketches, figurines and paintings of Odin, his left eye was missing, however, in the movie Thor, his right eye was missing. Does anyone know if it is ever stated for certain that Odin sacrificed his right eye, thus sacrificing the female spirit/dichotomy of himself? I would think the writers in the movie would have done their research... The same concept applies to Tyr, in that he chose to put his right hand in Fenrir's mouth, thus sacrificing his "male" spirit to end the terror Fenrir had unleashed.
 

Myrddin

Well-Known Member
In symbolism books that I have read, the authors claimed the left side was attributed to the female, and the right side was attributed to the male. (same with east/right and west/left). I found it interesting that when looking at sketches, figurines and paintings of Odin, his left eye was missing, however, in the movie Thor, his right eye was missing. Does anyone know if it is ever stated for certain that Odin sacrificed his right eye, thus sacrificing the female spirit/dichotomy of himself? I would think the writers in the movie would have done their research... The same concept applies to Tyr, in that he chose to put his right hand in Fenrir's mouth, thus sacrificing his "male" spirit to end the terror Fenrir had unleashed.
I was unaware of that concept. Interesting, these things are.
 

RLynn

Active Member
Right brain feminine. Left brain masculine. However, isn't the left hand/eye associated with the right cerebral hemisphere, the opposite for the right hand/eye? This crossover between brain and body could imply that he left eye of Odin might represent the feminine.They may have taken a different approach in the Thor movie.
Now I gotta let my brain rest. :confused:
 
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