Educational Institution
You know him, right? Blond, tall and handsome Scandinavian guy. Dressed in armor with a red cape, has the ability to fly? No, not Superman, get your facts straight! Alright, he has a mighty companion, a hammer called Mjolnir, with the help of which he can summon lightning. Yes, correct, his name is Thor. He is a God of Thunder, son of Odin, the Father of all Gods, himself. Brought to public by Marvel comics in far 1962, he was popularized today by such movies like “Thor”, Thor: The Dark World”, and of course “The Avengers”. But I am sure that some people are still not aware that he is not just a contemporary hero, but a deity from very old and complex mythology.
In the first movie, “Thor”, God of Thunder is exiled by his father Odin to Earth due to his arrogance in warlike situation – right before Thor should have ascended the throne (Feige & Branagh, 2011). Odin takes away Thor’s godly powers and exiles him to Earth as a mortal. His hammer is sent along with him, protected by an enchantment that allows only worthy to wield it. On the Earth, in uneven battle with an almost indestructible automaton sent to kill him, Thor sacrifices himself to save people and his love interest, and is redeemed. With his powers restored, he ends the conflict involving his betraying brother Loki. In the end, he tells his father his not ready to step on the throne yet.
Thor originated from ancient Norse mythology. He is a god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, protection of human kind, fertility, healing, and hallowing. Thor was noticeably mentioned throughout the world history, especially in Viking age. You can also jokingly write the fourth day of the week on English like Thor’s day instead of normal Thursday, because this day was named after him (Thor).
Unfortunately, Marvel’s Thor and mythological Thor only have a few the most common similarities (8 Things Marvel Got Wrong About Thor and Norse Mythology, 2013). They both are gods of thunder and appear to have the same powers, wield Mjolnir, and have the same father; Marvel has changed everything else.
References
Gill, N.S. Thor. Retrieved from http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/norsegodspictures/g/Thor.htm
Bricken, R. (2013). 8 Things Marvel Got Wrong About Thor and Norse Mythology. Retrieved from http://io9.com/8-things-marvel-got-wrong-about-thor-and-norse-mytholog-1458989921
Feige, K. (Producer), & Branagh, K. (Director). (2011). Thor [Motion picture]. United States: Marvel Studios.
