What is an Úlfheðinn? Sources tell us that they were violent shock troops used by ancient kings to secure their power. Men who fought with the ferocity of wolves, with various magical powers attributed to them. What we find historically is that they were considered outsiders and a danger to those around them, eventually leading to them being outlawed as Christianity took hold in the Scandinavian world. The sagas take two very distinct views of the berserkers as a whole. When an Úlfheðinn is a main character, they are heroes. When they are nameless, they become villains: either great men who have tales of their own, or craven brigands using their skills to steal the wealth and women of others.
The disparity between these two images leads me to believe that they were misunderstood, or that when Christianity came into play, they were vilified as with nearly everything else that held power of the old gods. Being misunderstood plays into the idea that they were outside normal society. It is common for things that are considered outside of the normal scope to be polarizing. If we review the tales of knights, we’ll find they’re either portrayed as wondrous heroes, or greedy landowners abusing their power and oppressing the poor beneath them. We have more tales of knights because they came from a time when tales were written down. The stories we have of the ancient Norse are -at best- written down after being passed down for centuries, and at worst, written down by those who may have some bias in regards to the ancient ways. This makes it even harder to determine what is truth and what is fiction.
We know of two distinct types of “berserker”: the Úlfheðinn and the Berserkr. The first group takes on the spirits of the Wolves, and the second takes on the spirit of the Bear. At some point in history, the two words became interchangeable, and it’s difficult to separate the traits of one from the other. Each were said to be filled with the spirit of the animals when they fought in battle, capable of terrible feats of strength and endurance. They were thought to be able to shrug aside all but the mightiest blows, and not fear fire. With a glance, they could dull the blades of their enemies. Both were thought to be capable of taking the shape of their totem spirit: Úlfheðinn were thought to be werewolves, whereas Bodvar Braki was said to have appeared in battle as a bear while laying unconscious in his tent. In the Hrafnsmal, there is a passage that separates the two, leading me to believe that they had many differences, and only came to be joined when the tales were written down after the Christianization of the North. In addition to all the traits shared by the two, we know that the Úlfheðinn were considered to be the favoured warriors of Odin. They have regularly been depicted wielding a spear, a weapon associated with the All-Father.
Donaldson in A Lycanthropy Reader: Werewolves in Western Culture speculates that the difference could have come from the two fighting styles the Norse favoured: the single great hero represented by the bear, and the wild pack of raiders, represented by the wolves. She talks about this image of the Wolf being one that is typical of herdsmen: the wolf is an adversary, something low and cunning, to be feared. This attitude could have also led to the eventual vilification in later literature of both types of berserkers. It is in these later periods of Norse history that we start to see berserkers be portrayed as professional duelists and men of nothing more than violence. As Christianity began to spread, we begin to see them less as spiritual beings and more as just men who seek to take advantage of the laws to further their own wants. These stories later were used to justify outlawing them in the 11c CE.
This violent portrayal is different from how the Ulfheðnar are depicted in the earlier sagas. The main character representing the Ulfheðnar in the sagas is Úlfr Bjálfason, known as Kvedulf. He appears in the beginning of Egil’s Saga and is Egil’s grandfather. For the most part, his story is not one of battle, so the aspects of him that are showcased are his behavior as a father and a Hersir. His depiction is one of a man who is looked to by his community as a leader, well respected and considered to be a good person. In addition to these traits, he is also described as a craftsman. Specifically he is a smith: this is not the type of work that can be done if one isn’t in control of oneself. The only negative thing that is mentioned is the source of his nickname, acquired by the fact that he became moody at night and should be left alone. Throughout his portion of the saga, he repeatedly avoids going into battle, saying instead that it isn’t in the best interests of his family. He goes as far as to deny King Harald his fealty because it wouldn’t be in his best interests to do so. He makes it clear that he has no intention of fighting against his rule, only that he won’t be a part of it. It isn’t until King Harald betrays Kvedulf’s son, Thorolf, and causes his death that we see his battle rage. In his old age, with his men and his other son Skallagrim, he boards and attacks the ship of men that slandered Thorolf and slaughters them to a man. It is this final rage that eventually leads to his death. We are told that while under the rage, berserkers possess amazing powers, but once the rage has left them, they’re weakened for a time. This weakness in a man of advanced age is what led to Kvedulf’s death. This portrayal of a “retired” Ulfheðinn, I feel, shows that they weren’t violent, psychotic men and that they were not only capable of great feats in battle, but also wise leaders of their people.
Egil’s father Skallagrim is also mentioned to be full of wolfishness, although we never hear of his own exploits in battle outside of the taking of vengeance for the killing of his brother Thorolf, after which he settled Iceland, near Borg. We are told that he has the temper of a berseker, and that he passed it on to Egil. Both father and son, however, are known for many other things beyond just battle. Skallagrim became a leader to his people and through his industry, the settlement grew and prospered. Skallagrim had most of the traits of his father, including being an ironsmith, but his rage is also told of in the sagas. However, this is only a small portion of his story, one instance in which he lost control.
Kvedulf is, in my mind, the ideal representation of an Ulfheðinn. He is a great warrior who learned skills outside of battle and grew to be a leader to his own people. He fights for what he believes worthy, but will not throw away his life or the life of the people that follow him for no real gain. He kept the old gods and had some art in him. He is an ancestor that I hold up as an example of what a person should aspire to. He embodies traits that are important to me: loyalty to your pack (however you define it), strength in battle, self-reliance, and as we see in the sagas, wisdom: he led his people to great things. Both Father and Son led their people well, but weren’t complacent: they had the strength and conviction to steer them away from tyranny and oppression.
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