Under the Gýgr’s Wing: Giantesses and Trollwomen as Tutelary Spirits

This is a 120-minute intermediate through experienced level lecture, in The Pickman Room (second floor)

The Norse mythic corpus is overrun with renowned warriors, sorcerers of earth-shaking power, and other great heroes whose stories were told around the mead hall’s hearth. Behind many of these figures - some of which are the ancestors of notable lineages - is a dark and foreboding patroness: the gýgr, or giantess. These Jötunn women are well known for their prowess in the magical arts - particularly seiðr, a trance-based sort of sorcery - and are notorious for their volatile tempers and unpredictable nature. Yet these tales also show a softer, more nurturing side of these frightening ladies, whose tutelage, guidance, and even love has shaped and empowered heroes and gods alike.

These stories show us much more than just hungry trolls hoping to catch a young warrior off his guard. The gýgjar wear many…