Gerðr
A beautiful gýgr with whom Freyr fell in love at first sight, as told in Skírnismál. After marrying him, she became the mother of the mythic Swedish king Fjölnir.
↻ synthesized from 6 sources
When
- First attested
- 700 CE
- Attested period
- 700 – 1500
- Historical notes
- Norse mythology is attested from the Viking Age through the Medieval period.
Relationships
- co occurs with
- Hyrrokin, Thokk, Freyja, Byggvir, Beyla, Skíðblaðnir, Gullinbursti, Fjölnir, Skaði, Þjazi, Viðarr, Frigg, Hrímgrímnir, Skírnir, Gymir, gýgr, Njörðr, Surtr, Gríðr, Odin, Thor
- sibling of
- Beli
- enemy of
- Frey
- consort of
- Freyr
- parent of
- Fjölnir
- served by
- Skírnir
Mentioned by
Sources
Source passages
“Gerðr - A beautiful gýgr with whom Freyr fell in love at first sight, as told in Skírnismál. After marrying him, she became the mother of the mythic Swedish king Fjölnir.”
#6432 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“The idea is that the sword which Surtr slays Freyr with is the "sword of the gods" which Freyr had earlier bargained away for Gerðr. This would add a further layer of tragedy to the myth.”
#16612 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“In Norse mythology, Barri is the place where Freyr and Gerðr are to consummate their union, as stated in the Skírnismál: Barri the grove is named, which we both know, the grove of tranquil paths. Nine nights hence, there to Niörd’s son Gerd will grant delight.”
#41178 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“Elsewhere in Skírnismál (The Lay of Skírnir), Gerðr complains of the slaying of her brother by Frey, which some scholars have interpreted as evidence that she was the sister of Beli. According to Orchard, "it is clear that Gerd’s reluctance to accept Frey’s favours is based in no small part on her grief”
#41203 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“In chapter 19 of the Prose Edda book Skáldskaparmál, Gerðr is listed among "rivals" of the goddess Frigg, a list of sexual partners of Frigg's husband, Odin. Instead of Gerðr, the jötunn Gríðr, mother of Odin's son Víðarr according to the Prose Edda, was probably intended”
#41255 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001