Did Thor strike Jormungandr’s Head at Ragnarok?

[mahud]

I’ve been researching Thor’s definitive battle with Jormungandr (the Midgard Serpent said to surround the Nordic cosmos), and until now I believed that at Ragnarok Thor specifically killed the serpent with a blow to the head. Unfortunately I’m unable to track down any sources yet (primarily in the Eddas) to verify this.

According to the Prose Edda;

Thor shall put to death the Midgard Serpent, and shall stride away nine paces from that spot; then shall he fall dead to the earth, because of the venom which the Snake has blown at him.
Gylfaginning:51

And in the Poetic Edda;

Hither there comes | the son of Hlothyn,
The bright snake gapes | to heaven above;
Against the serpent | goes Othin’s son.
In anger smites | the warder of earth,
Forth from their homes | must all men flee;
Nine paces fares | the son of Fjorgyn,
And, slain by the serpent, | fearless he sinks.
Voluspa: 56

When I first began researching Thor I read in various books (that I no longer have access to) that Thor struck the serpent on the head at Ragnarok.
I’m also aware of Thor’s other deadly enounter with the Midgard serpent, during his fishing trip with the giant Hymir (Hymiskvida: 24-25; Husdrapa: 6; Gylfaginning: 48 [prose Edda]), where Thor either missed the Midgard Serpent entirely, or struck him on the side of the head, and possibly struck his head off (although it might of been Jormungandr’s ear).

My Question

My question is this: Did Thor strike the Midgard serpent on the head at Ragnarok, and if possible could you please provide me with evidence from the Eddas of other sources from antiquity?


P.S: I think that the Prose Edda implies that Thor crushed the head of the Midgard serpent, because it was from the spot where Thor walked away from Jormungand, that the deadly poison was blown upon him from the serpent’s mouth.

 

[Smoke]

My question is this: Did Thor strike the Midgard serpent on the head at Ragnarok, and if possible could you please provide me with evidence from the Eddas of other sources from antiquity?

No did he, but will he. Ragnarok has not yet occurred.

The Voluspa doesn't specifically say where Thor will strike Jormungandr to kill him, and I don't know of any source that does.

 

[mahud]

No did he, but will he. Ragnarok has not yet occurred.

I guess I was speaking prophetically thanks anyway

 

[Zephyr]

I've been skimming through my Eddas, but I can't seem to find many things specific about the fight, just that Thor kills it, walks nine paces, and dies, but you already know that.

 

[doppelganger]

According to my copy of LaRousse:

"With his terrible hammer Thor crushed the monster's skull and it fell back, dying. But Thor himself had breathed in so much poison that his strength failed. He tried to stagger away; but at the ninth step he fell to the ground, dead."

The only source cited is the Völuspa from the Eddas, so I don't know for sure what version of the myth the editor got this detail from.

 

[doppelganger]

In the Prose Edda, there's an earlier fight between Thor and the Midgard Serpent that ends with Thor striking the serpent on its head:

" Thor flashed fiery glances at the Serpent, and the Serpent in turn stared up toward him from below and blew venom. Then, it is said, the giant Hymir grew pale, became yellow, and was sore afraid, when he saw the Serpent, and how the sea rushed out and in through the boat. In the very moment when Thor clutched his hammer and raised it on high, then the giant fumbled for his fish-knife and hacked off Thor's line at the gunwale, and the Serpent sank down into the sea. Thor hurled his hammer after it; and men say that he struck off its head against the bottom; but I think it were true to tell thee that the Midgard Serpent yet lives and lies in the encompassing sea. But 'Thor swung his fist and brought it against Hymir's ear, so that he plunged overboard, and Thor saw the soles of his feet. And Thor waded to land."

 

[mahud]

According to my copy of LaRousse:

"With his terrible hammer Thor crushed the monster's skull and it fell back, dying. But Thor himself had breathed in so much poison that his strength failed. He tried to stagger away; but at the ninth step he fell to the ground, dead."

The only source cited is the Völuspa from the Eddas, so I don't know for sure what version of the myth the editor got this detail from.

Thanks for looking it up As I said, I have read the same thing in books on Norse mythology that make a simlier claim. I wonder if they are getting mixed up with the myth of Thor's fishing trip.

I'd like to thank everyone for their help. It does indeed look like there is no specific reference to Thor Crushing the World Serpent's head. At least in the Eddas.

 

[PoorlyCommunicated]

Ragnarok not come yet. So, the answer is "no".

 

[WayFarer]

Ragnarok not come yet.

Interestingly enough did you know that some of the first successful Christian missionaries to the Norsemen argued that Ragnarok had happened already and Lif and Lifthrasir were who they (the missionaries) knew of as Adam and Eve and Yggdrasil was the Tree of Life. They had quite a bit of conversion success with that approach.

 

[Herr Heinrich]

Interestingly enough did you know that some of the first successful Christian missionaries to the Norsemen argued that Ragnarok had happened already and Lif and Lifthrasir were who they (the missionaries) knew of as Adam and Eve and Yggdrasil was the Tree of Life. They had quite a bit of conversion success with that approach.

I can see why. It coincides pretty well.

 

[Klaufi_Wodensson]

I've read in a Saga that he went fishing with a Giant and caught the Midgard serpent, but they Giant was afraid and ending up letting it go or something like that, I can't fully remember. And then of course at Ragnarok he is supposed to kill Jormungandr.

 

[WayFarer]

Jormungandr could be Leviathan, and the Ragnarok could could have happened before this present world came into existence, during the war in heaven. Yggdrasil could indeed be the tree of life, and then there is the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and I think Odin was hanged on this tree, wether as punishment or suicide it was an evil act.

Christians made major inroads in Northern countries with just such a perspective. They went as far as to say that Líf and Lífþrasir were Adam and Eve. Interesting approach to be sure. However Odin was hung on the tree by his own will. It was a sacrifice for knowledge/wisdom. He survived the ordeal.

Yahweh is the highest, only God there is, Lucifer rebeled against him and wanted to take over the throne of heaven. When Lucifer fell, he took one third of the angels with him. Odin, Thor, Freya, Frigg, Haldur, Njord, Baldur, Frey, Sift, Tyr, they must be fallen angels following Lucifer/Satan.

Sounds a little proselytizing to me.

That's how I've always seen the pagn gods when I first started reading mythology. Socrates protested that the Greek myths about the gods were immoral and set a bad example. The same is true about the Norse myths. In the Bible I am disgusted when Yahweh orders the ancient Israelites to kill and commit genocide in His name while conquering the promise land. Well the Bible does have moral lessons, at least in what not to do, and what you should do.

I guess so. You know the whole 'thou shalt not kill' thing. Moses barely finished mentioning that before he had a bunch of his people killed. Was the lesson there not to trust people who say they speak for God?

Odin and Thor are not 'good gods' because they are not gods at all but demonic impersonaters. In their pride and arrogance, ego and hubris they claim to be divine, wanting people to worship them to take worship, praise honor nd glory whom all things are due from Yahweh the one and only true God and His Son Jesus Christ.

I see. You state that they are prideful (arrogant and egotistical) because you say they want to be worshiped. Well, I cant help it but point out that:

"Do not have any other gods before me." Exodus 20:3
"You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God” Exodus 20:5
​

...and I could go on. However Odin (and Thor) does not want people worshiping them. Respecting them:Yes, on your knees: No.

Honestly, if you are going to start proselytizing, try to understand what it is you are talking against so those you are talking to might at least think you cared enough to learn about what you are trying to bash.

 

[Ragnarson98]

No did he, but will he. Ragnarok has not yet occurred.

The Voluspa doesn't specifically say where Thor will strike Jormungandr to kill him, and I don't know of any source that does.

Thor has a tendency to smash skulls in, so i think its likely that it will be the skull.

Mjollnir being a hammer, I'd say the skull would be quite a good place to hit a giant sea serpent.