The Poetic Edda consists of many diverse characters, but some are
called Valkyrie. They are perceived to have divinity and are victorious in
battle; other times, they find themselves falling in love with a hero. Today,
the Valkyrie is seen in a cinema filled with hundreds of eager fans. Both
appearances are portrayals of womanhood in patriarchal societies.
The battle for gender
equality has been a continuous one for years, dating back to even before The
Poetic Edda. Within The Poetic Edda women are seen as a
significantly lower being than men, as specifically perceived in “Sayings of
the High One” where Odin is advising his followers in poetic verse. Girls or
women are mentioned numerous times, and not in an equivocal manner with men.
One verse says, “At evening should the day be praised, … / the blade when it is
tested, the girl when she is married” (23). Odin, the god of all gods and
beings, suggests the most precious time in a girl’s life is her marriage; thus,
she is only valuable in her skills to obtain a man’s desire. Because Odin is
ruler of all, his word is informative to others. In another line he says, “Praise
the body of the radiant woman: / he who flatters, gets” (24). The writing
proposes a male assumption that a woman’s physique is most imperative as a
quality, utterly ignoring her character, intellect, and personality. More other
verses prove Odin’s sexist ideology, but moreover, they also prove sexism will
arise in any universe.
The Valkyrie act as a
authentic warriors of Odin, although not all the time. Essentially, they are
do-gooder’s, and only care to fight for justice within the universe. Some
princesses will choose to live a life of strength and empowerment and will
become Valkyrie (110). This is a symbol of female strength, which is unique in
a world dominated by a chauvinistic Odin, who sees inferiority within the
female sex. When Sigrdrifa killed Helmet Gunnar in battle, he punishes her
because he sees this as an act of disrespectful disobedience, and so, she is
pricked with a thorn that lusts her into a sleeping spell:“Odin pricked her with a sleep-thorn in revenge for this and said that she
would never again fight victoriously in battle and said that she should be
married” (163). He takes away her gift, something that is vital to who she is,
and deems forced marriage as punishment. As his previous words proved he felt
women were only suitable if desirable enough by a man to marry, his new comment
proves that he also knows women do not see themselves in this same manner and
wishes for more in life, just like a man would. Knowing this, it is suitable to
hear that in the end she chooses marriage for love. The Valkyrie prove numerous
times how disobedient and strong women can truly be without men dominating
their lives.
Society today has made
some improvement, and these supposed ethical standards for women are put into
question and in some cases, finally declined. “Thor: Ragnorak” is a 2017 film
part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Its main hero is Thor, Son of Odin, God
of Thunder; however, the audience is revealed a new character who is featured
as a lone heroine: Valkyrie. The actress, Tessa Thompson portrays the last
living Valkyrie in a male-dominated universe on the big screen. Viewers had
only seen Black Widow within the successful movie-franchise, in a skin-tight
leather suit, finely cropped hair, and with no possession of damaging
personality traits to be seen in a woman (i.e. heavy drinking, swearing, or
crude manner towards men). Thompson’s Valkyrie wears a loose-fitting suit with
armor and a cape, ignoring the societal acceptable role of womanhood within
numerous popular films by being alone, acting as a functioning alcoholic, and
possessing the irredeemable quality of no dependence on men for anything or any
desire to appeal to the male gender.
In both works, the Valkyrie reject misogynistic standards, and blaze a path for feminism. Instead of remaining as simple, female figures in a male-centered story line, they forge onward and force both readers and viewers to see a female character take charge and reject stereotypical qualities that women are believed to generally possess in most works of literature and film.
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