Jormungand: The Serpent of Midgard and its stories in Norse Mythology

Jormungand, (also spelled Jormungandr), in Norse mythology is the serpent of evil that enveloped the world, biting its own tail. Jormungand (meaning the \”great beast\”) is also known as the Midgard Serpent, or the serpent of the world, because its body is wrapped around the whole Earth under the oceans, and the Earth was called Midgard in the cosmology of the Nordics (Figure 1). 

​​SMLXL

Figure 1: The Nine Worlds of Norse Mythology, Michael Coibra, 2007.

Jormungand was probably also highlighted in the religion of the original Germanic tribes, and their existence was evidenced in accounts of pre-Christian religions of different branches of the Germanic peoples. For example, continental Germans attributed earthquakes to the movements of the serpent in the Middle Ages. Jormungand was one of the three monstrous offspring of giant Angerbotha and the trickster god Loki. Jormungand\’s brother was the giant wolf Fenrir, whom the gods kept on a leash (according to the mythology of Ragnarok (end of time), he would be responsible for the future death of the sovereign of Asgard and father of the gods, Odin ), and its sister was the goddess Hel, queen of the underworld (Figure 2). Jormungand\’s venom is powerful and its size is immense. Thus, the father of the gods, Odin, threw the serpent into the sea, where its movements became responsible for deadly storms and tsunamis. The god Thor is the serpent\’s particular enemy. Two battles between them are narrated at the Eddas.

​​SMLXL

Figure 2: “Loki\’s Children, de Willy Pogany, 1920.

The first relates how Thor almost killed Jormungand. The gods had organized a party with Aegir and Ran, two gentle and hospitable giants, that lived on the seabed. Aegir and Ran offered to host the banquet, but only if the gods could provide a pot large enough to prepare mead for all the guests. The gods knew that of all beings in the nine worlds, only the giant Hymir possessed a cauldron large enough for this purpose. Thor, the bravest of the gods, as well as the more accustomed to dealing with the giants – not all of whom were as friendly to the gods as Aegir and Ran – offered to get this cauldron from Hymir.

In the land of the giants, Thor went fishing with the giant fisherman Hymir (this at first unaware that his companion was the god of thunder, for he was disguised as a young peasant). Thor paddled skilfully, taking the boat to the open sea, far beyond the place where the giant usually fished. He hooked the head of an ox on the hook like bait and threw his line. (Figure 3)

​​SMLXL

Figure 3: Thor, Hymir and the Serpent. 18th century Icelandic manuscript.

 The Midgard Serpent, emerging from the ocean bed, stretched its mouth around the ox\’s head and was quickly caught by the hook. Using his tremendous strength, Thor lifted the serpent and was about to slay it with a blow from his magical hammer, the Mjölnir, when Hymir, in panic that his boat would be sunk and terrified at the sight of the serpent, cut the line with his knife. The snake escaped and sank back into the sea. Thor threw his hammer towards the fleeing serpent, and while some believed that the serpent was dead, in the Prose Edda was said that the \”Midgard Serpent still lives and resides in the surrounding sea.\”

At the end of time, the Ragnarok, as the final battle between the forces of good and evil is known in Norse Mythology, Thor was destined to find Jormungand again (Figure 4).

​​SMLXL

 Figure 4: “The Battle of Thor and The Midgard Serpent”, Johann Heinrich Fussli, 1788.

He finally kills it with a blow from the Mjölnir, but he survived just long enough to walk nine steps away from the snake before succumbing to its venom. In this way, the Serpent of Midgard and Thor would kill each other at the end of the world.

This encounter is also narrated in the song \”Twilight of Thunder God\” by the Swedish band Amon Amarth (available in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfcTbK-U1YQ) that is well known for addressing Norse myths and legends in their work, whose lyrics follow below:

Twilight of the Thunder God

Songwriters: Ted Oscar Lundstroem / Olavi Mikkonen / Johan Soederberg / Fredrik Andersson / Johan Hegg

Twilight of the Thunder God lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
There comes Fenris\’ twin
His jaws are open wide
The serpent rises from the wavesJormundgandr twists and turns
Mighty in his wrath
The eyes are full of primal hateThor Odin\’s son
Protector of mankind
Rise to meet your fate
Your destiny awaits
Thor Hlôdyn\’s son
Protector of mankind
Rise to meet your fate
Ragnarök awaitsVingthor rides to face
The snake with hammer high
At the edge of the worldBolts of lightning fills the air
As Mjölner does its work
The dreadful serpent roars in painThor Odin\’s son
Protector of mankind
Rise to meet your fate
Your destiny awaits
Thor Hlôdyn\’s son
Protector of mankind
Rise to meet your fate
Ragnarök awaitsMighty Thor grips the snake
Firmly by it\’s tongue
Lifts his hammer high to strike
Soon his work is done
Vingtor sends the giant snake
Bleeding to the depth
Twilight of the thundergod
Ragnarök awaits
Twilight of the thundergod [Repeat: x3]Thor Odin\’s son
Protector of mankind
Rise to meet your fate
Your destiny awaits
Thor Hlôdyn\’s son
Protector of mankind
Rise to meet your fate
Ragnarök awaits

Jormungand can also be related to the symbol of Ouroboros, (Figure 5) which in Greek means \”serpent that devours itself\” and symbolizes among other things the cycles of things and beginnings, the eternal return. This can also be linked to the fact that after the fall of the gods in the Ragnarok, the survivors will find a prosperous and peaceful world.

​​SMLXL

Figure 5: The Ouroboros serpent drawing from an ancient Greek manuscript.