Modern people have this view of the Norse as having a crude, brutish way of living because of the viking raiders' predations. That's like declaring Europeans to be vicious monsters because of what knights did during the Crusades. In truth the Norse had philosophy that was often quite deep and focused on human needs, and the failure of Odin that led to this story is the ultimate example of their understanding. Odin's desperate need to keep power and control over the Nine Realms resulted in decisions that turned Loki, Fenrir, Jormungandr, and Hel into the very enemies that the giants needed as allies to storm Asgard and bring all of Odin's people to ruin. I heard a version of the story of Fenrir and Tyr when I was quite young. Tyr, Asgardian God of Justice, became my favorite of the Norse gods because of it. Kings will go to war because they're likely to be ransomed back home even if they lose. Kings will send their children to die for their own purposes. Tyr, not a king but a just god, put his own hand in the wolf's mouth to try to keep the realm safe. I hadn't heard the version mentioned in this video, though, where he continued to visit Fenrir in exile and tell him stories. That just makes me like him even more. If only Odin hadn't steered everyone wrong . . . but that's not the way the stories go.
Modern people have this view of the Norse as having a crude, brutish way of living because of the viking raiders' predations. That's like declaring Europeans to be vicious monsters because of what knights did during the Crusades. In truth the Norse had philosophy that was often quite deep and focused on human needs, and the failure of Odin that led to this story is the ultimate example of their understanding. Odin's desperate need to keep power and control over the Nine Realms resulted in decisions that turned Loki, Fenrir, Jormungandr, and Hel into the very enemies that the giants needed as allies to storm Asgard and bring all of Odin's people to ruin.
I heard a version of the story of Fenrir and Tyr when I was quite young. Tyr, Asgardian God of Justice, became my favorite of the Norse gods because of it. Kings will go to war because they're likely to be ransomed back home even if they lose. Kings will send their children to die for their own purposes. Tyr, not a king but a just god, put his own hand in the wolf's mouth to try to keep the realm safe. I hadn't heard the version mentioned in this video, though, where he continued to visit Fenrir in exile and tell him stories. That just makes me like him even more. If only Odin hadn't steered everyone wrong . . . but that's not the way the stories go.