Ragnarök | Scandinavian mythology - Encyclopedia Britannica

Ragnarök, (Old Norse: “Doom of the Gods”), in Scandinavian mythology, the end of the world of gods and men. The Ragnarök is fully described only in the ... Ragnarök TableofContents Ragnarök Introduction&TopQuestions FastFacts TopQuestions WhathappensduringRagnarök? RelatedContent More MoreArticlesOnThisTopic Contributors ArticleHistory Home WorldHistory Wars,Battles&ArmedConflicts Ragnarök Scandinavianmythology Actions Cite verifiedCite Whileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies. Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions. SelectCitationStyle MLA APA ChicagoManualofStyle CopyCitation Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/event/Ragnarok GiveFeedback ExternalWebsites Feedback Corrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin). FeedbackType Selectatype(Required) FactualCorrection Spelling/GrammarCorrection LinkCorrection AdditionalInformation Other YourFeedback SubmitFeedback Thankyouforyourfeedback Oureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle. JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork! ExternalWebsites AncientOrigins-ThestoryofRagnarokandtheApocalypse NorseMythologyforSmartPeople-Ragnarok BritannicaWebsites ArticlesfromBritannicaEncyclopediasforelementaryandhighschoolstudents. Ragnarok-StudentEncyclopedia(Ages11andup) Print Cite verifiedCite Whileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies. Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions. SelectCitationStyle MLA APA ChicagoManualofStyle CopyCitation Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/event/Ragnarok More GiveFeedback ExternalWebsites Feedback Corrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin). FeedbackType Selectatype(Required) FactualCorrection Spelling/GrammarCorrection LinkCorrection AdditionalInformation Other YourFeedback SubmitFeedback Thankyouforyourfeedback Oureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle. JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork! ExternalWebsites AncientOrigins-ThestoryofRagnarokandtheApocalypse NorseMythologyforSmartPeople-Ragnarok BritannicaWebsites ArticlesfromBritannicaEncyclopediasforelementaryandhighschoolstudents. Ragnarok-StudentEncyclopedia(Ages11andup) Alternatetitles:Götterdämmerung,Ragnorökkr By TheEditorsofEncyclopaediaBritannica • EditHistory TableofContents TopQuestionsWhathappensduringRagnarök?InScandinavianmythology,Ragnarökisaseriesofeventsandcatastrophesthatwillultimatelyleadtotheendoftheworld.Ragnarökculminatesinafinalbattlebetweenthegodsandthedemonsandgiants,endinginthedeathofthegods.Insomeversions,theearthwillthensinkandriseagainwithtwohumansurvivorswhowillreemergeoutoftheworldtreeandrepopulatetheworld.WheredoesthestoryofRagnarökcomefrom?ThestoryofRagnarökisprominentlyfeaturedintwoworksofliterature:Völuspá,anIcelandicpoemofthe10thcentury,andProseEdda,apoetrycollectionaboutNorsemythologywrittenbythepoetandhistorianSnorriSturlusoninthe13thcentury.WhatinspiredthestoryofRagnarök?SomeresearchersbelievethatthestoryofRagnarökisinspiredbynaturaleventsandcatastrophes.TherearestrikingsimilaritiesbetweentheeventsofRagnarökandtheeffectsofaseverevolcaniceruption,suchasthedarkeningoftheskyfromashandtheearthtrembling.DidRagnarökhappen?In2014mediaoutletsreportedthattheVikingcalendarplacedRagnarökandthesubsequentendoftheworldonFebruary22,2014.TheinitialpredictionwasmadebytheJORVIKVikingCentremuseum,withthepredicteddatecoincidingwiththeirannualfestival.Ragnarök,however,didnothappen.Ragnarök,(OldNorse:“DoomoftheGods”),inScandinavianmythology,theendoftheworldofgodsandmen.TheRagnarökisfullydescribedonlyintheIcelandicpoemVöluspá(“Sibyl’sProphecy”),probablyofthelate10thcentury,andinthe13th-centuryProseEddaofSnorriSturluson(d.1241),whichlargelyfollowstheVöluspá.Accordingtothosetwosources,theRagnarökwillbeprecededbycruelwintersandmoralchaos.Giantsanddemonsapproachingfromallpointsofthecompasswillattackthegods,whowillmeetthemandfacedeathlikeheroes.Thesunwillbedarkened,thestarswillvanish,andtheearthwillsinkintothesea.Afterward,theearthwillriseagain,theinnocentBalderwillreturnfromthedead,andthehostsofthejustwillliveinahallroofedwithgold.DisjointedallusionstotheRagnarök,foundinmanyothersources,showthatconceptionsofitvaried.Accordingtoonepoemtwohumanbeings,LifandLifthrasir(“Life”and“Vitality”),willemergefromtheworldtree(whichwasnotdestroyed)andrepeopletheearth.ThetitleofRichardWagner’soperaGötterdämmerungisaGermanequivalentofRagnarökmeaning“twilightofthegods.”