Saturday 17 April 2010

Eyjafjallajokull, or The Beauty of the Beast

Sorry for this upcoming, unvoluntary and pretty lazy Biblical reference and for stressing my current situation again, but the Eyjafjallajokull is the name of the beast. I am of course talking about the nasty volcano that is keeping us here. A mouthful, which I don't think I could pronounce it actually (copy/paste is useful in many ways). Not so long ago, I was reading (or rereading) Viking mythology, which I blogged about. According to Vikings, the world had been created when fire and ice met. I think I know now where the idea came from, and also how a culture that had a Hell that was artic cold and full of ice had nevertheless fire giants among the enemies of the gods. Surtr and the others must have been born from chance encounters of Vikings with volcanoes. Well, I am not the first one who thought of that. Of course, other civilisations might have come up with their own development into myths of volcanic activities. For the Vikings, such display of fire and ashes in their cold climate must have been even more terrifying.

I have to say, however, that from the pictures and videos I saw of Eyjafjallajokull, it is quite impressive, even beautiful. Volcanoes, like cats, have the grace and nobility of predatorial beasts.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

A Godless man making biblical references...???

Guillaume said...

Well, I also make references to Norse myths, that doesn't make me an Odin Allfather worshipper.

Anonymous said...

Very true....lol

Anonymous said...

BUT.....you don't keep reminding your readership that you are not an Odin Allfather worshipper....lol

Guillaume said...

@Anonymous 2(or the same)-There are less chances that my readership thinks I am a Viking. Otherwise, both of these faiths are cultural phenomenons which can be used and refered to.

Anonymous said...

You are, of course, absolutely right! It is your blog you can darn well say what you want, or think, or believe in.