I like that graphic. Did you make it? I bet you did.
I really like the Vikings. The bad guys of long-past tend to be our modern heroes (pirates, vikings, huns, saxons)....why?
Probably there weren't many average joes who became vikings -- they were a class of warlike, powerful men who were kicked out of power by other norse warlords. But, I guess among the vikings themselves, there was a certain "averageness".
I enjoy thinking about the vikings from the perspective of their victims as opposed to their perspective of themselves. Monks: they had horns! They were brutal and EVIL and desecrated holy places! They had glowing eyes like the devil himself and showed absolutely no mercy! Wickedness emboided!" Vikings: "it was a magical place! Paradise on earth. It was a huge stone building FULL of treasure and populated only by half-bald weakling men who didn't even fight back! A gift from the gods!"
P.S. How gross that my profile name was "marc and katie" while marc had his own. something very disturbing about that, even though it's really just coincidence and not some deeply-rooted gender-roles thing. I just read a big fat gender history book, so it's on my mind. Anyway I changed my profile name and now I am just testing to see if it worked.
Back to the Vikings...they certainly had firm gender roles.
Okay, as an average Joe Viking, I definitely believe in two things: Valhalla and sea monsters. Oh, and male camaraderie. So three things. My daily personal goal, between singing at meal times and eating meat from the bone, is finding mythical beasts to slay so I can make a name for myself. My friends always are talking about the glory of a warriors death in battle, and although on the outside I heartily agree, on the inside I think I'd rather live to see my wife and little vikings again.
And what about those Lady Vikings? All you hear about are the men folk raiding and pillaging. What were the women up to? In his epic novel, "Eaters of the Dead", Micheal Chrichton describes the young women of the north as basically sex slaves, with older women becoming sort of tribal shamans. But I 'm pretty sure he's just making all that crap up. So, what of it, historian Katie?
As far as I've read, the women were the ones who maintained the villages, did all the work at home while the men traveled around the world. Although, vikings did settle down, too -- didn't spend their whole lives pillaging and exploring.
But I just don't see how housework, gardening, etc can be accomplished wearing horns and deadly cone breasts.
Here, play this game while we sleep!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/vikings/launch_gms_viking_quest.shtml
You're an average Joe viking. What do you really believe in? What do you want in life, and how are you going to get it?
ReplyDeleteaw crap, I'm an embarrassment to the vikings.
ReplyDeletealso, were average joes vikings? or were they their own class of people?
ReplyDeleteI like that graphic. Did you make it? I bet you did.
ReplyDeleteI really like the Vikings. The bad guys of long-past tend to be our modern heroes (pirates, vikings, huns, saxons)....why?
Probably there weren't many average joes who became vikings -- they were a class of warlike, powerful men who were kicked out of power by other norse warlords. But, I guess among the vikings themselves, there was a certain "averageness".
I enjoy thinking about the vikings from the perspective of their victims as opposed to their perspective of themselves. Monks: they had horns! They were brutal and EVIL and desecrated holy places! They had glowing eyes like the devil himself and showed absolutely no mercy! Wickedness emboided!" Vikings: "it was a magical place! Paradise on earth. It was a huge stone building FULL of treasure and populated only by half-bald weakling men who didn't even fight back! A gift from the gods!"
P.S. How gross that my profile name was "marc and katie" while marc had his own. something very disturbing about that, even though it's really just coincidence and not some deeply-rooted gender-roles thing. I just read a big fat gender history book, so it's on my mind. Anyway I changed my profile name and now I am just testing to see if it worked.
ReplyDeleteBack to the Vikings...they certainly had firm gender roles.
Okay, as an average Joe Viking, I definitely believe in two things: Valhalla and sea monsters. Oh, and male camaraderie. So three things. My daily personal goal, between singing at meal times and eating meat from the bone, is finding mythical beasts to slay so I can make a name for myself. My friends always are talking about the glory of a warriors death in battle, and although on the outside I heartily agree, on the inside I think I'd rather live to see my wife and little vikings again.
ReplyDeleteAnd what about those Lady Vikings? All you hear about are the men folk raiding and pillaging. What were the women up to? In his epic novel, "Eaters of the Dead", Micheal Chrichton describes the young women of the north as basically sex slaves, with older women becoming sort of tribal shamans. But I 'm pretty sure he's just making all that crap up. So, what of it, historian Katie?
probably sex slaves, judging by this costume I found called "perky viking"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mooncostumes.com/image/9715
Hey, Perky Viking is wearing practically the exact same costume as Elmer Fudd. Well, minus the deadly cone breasts, that is.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I've read, the women were the ones who maintained the villages, did all the work at home while the men traveled around the world. Although, vikings did settle down, too -- didn't spend their whole lives pillaging and exploring.
ReplyDeleteBut I just don't see how housework, gardening, etc can be accomplished wearing horns and deadly cone breasts.