Valkyries. Women in the Viking World

Valkyries are female supernatural beings who choose who dies and who lives on the battlefield. They protect some, but direct spears, arrows and sword blades into the bodies of others. Viking myths about Valkyries attempt to elevate the banality of... war—to make pain and suffering glorious and dignified. The women in these stories take full part in their communities, for better or for worse. Who are Valkyries and how do they differ from ordinary Scandinavian women? Why are Valkyries not attached to family and children, what does a man mean to them and why does she need death? How does the intertwining of the real and the afterlife in the history of Scandinavian warriors affect Scandinavian culture and beyond? Drawing on the latest historical and archaeological evidence, the author reveals the reality behind the myths and legends to reveal the dynamic, varied lives of Viking women.