How Was Valhalla Life in Norse Mythology?
In Norse mythology, Odin was the chief god of Asgard the land of gods. Up in Asgard were the homes of many Norse gods. Among them was Valhalla the stronghold ruled over by Odin the Allfather.
Valhalla meant the Great Hall for the Fallen. And it was the palace where Odin welcomed the fallen warriors to come and dwell there. But how was actually the life of the fallen warriors up in Valhalla?
Lagertha words to Ragnar Lothrbok in "Vikings" TV series. This is where Valhalla is mentioned as a palace where both Viking warrior and shieldmaiden would come and fight and feast with the gods.
In the Viking belief, any warrior who fought bravely in the battlefield and died a warrior death could have a place in Valhalla. Many question what are the standards for a Viking warrior to come to Valhalla. However, we have no appropriate material saying about Valhalla standards. But with scarce materials we have, it claimed that that man must die in battle, living a life with all the values that his clan held dear, and worshipping Norse gods, especially Odin the owner of Valhalla.
Hail Odin the Allfather
And the Valhalla life was truly what the Vikings desired.
Back to the Viking Age, they loved to fight, not only to express their power but to train themselves to become a great warrior.
And so was the life in Valhalla. It was full of fight and fight. But it was no chaotic scene. Rather, there would be the warriors who wore armour and wielded their swords in the most beautiful way. They fought one another every day. The wounds they got during the battle would heal when the dusk fell on.
Viking warrior who fought for Valhalla in his last battle (Cre: "Vikings" TV series)
And when the night came, the would join the feasting table and feast with the gods. Odin would sit in the middle and they would surround the Allfather. Many people believe that the name "Allfather" of Odin had another meaning beside "the father of all gods". It meant "Val-father" and this "Val" meant "the fallen" like "Valhalla" (Great Hall of the Fallen) and "Valknut" (The knot of the fallen).
Feast with the gods in Valhalla. The warriors were sitting around Odin the Allfather
The warriors in Valhalla would restore to their best health getting ready to fight in the day following. When the morning broke on the sky, they would wake up and started their day with fighting. This dream life repeated until the day of Ragnarok. In the Doomsday of the gods, these warriors would take the side of Odin the Allfather and the Norse gods to fight against the giant. They would fight along with their master until their last breath.
Many scholars believed that the true reason why Odin recruited the brave fallen warriors was for Ragnarok. They would come and fight along their gods to fall with the gods.
