Meet Balder, god of all that is good in the rich Norse mythology. Discover his origins, history and most important family ties.
Who was Balder?
Balder is the god of almost everything that is good. He is associated with all that is beautiful and joyful in the world. Like the much-loved Freyr, Balder was a friendly and kind spirit. However, unlike Freyr, he was not particularly powerful, nor was he endowed with great power as Thor might have been. Everyone loved to be around Balder. Wherever he went and with whomever he spent his time with, the encounter was inevitably joyful.
Balder’s Appearance
As with the god Freyr, Balder is shown to us as a tall, handsome man with long hair and a thick beard. He is muscular and wears only a loincloth and cloak. Some paintings, perhaps from later interpretations, also show him in armor or tunic, but the bare-chested version seems more popular. He can be seen balder with a shield and spear, but not often in a battle-ready position, showing that he is not a warrior god. He appears with his spear pointing down, and his shield standing on the ground.
Balder Family
Balder is one of the two sons of Odin and Frigga. He had a twin brother named Hodr, who was blind. His wife was Nanna, who was the daughter of the god Nep. Together, they had a son, Forseti. Their son is the god of justice in Norse tradition.
Origin and History
Like almost all the gods and creatures of Norse mythology, the main source of information we have about Balder comes from the Prose Edda and the Poetic Edda. The meaning of his name is the subject of much argument, but the most likely answer is that it simply comes from the Old Norse word for “bold,” which Balder certainly wasn’t, so if this is the correct name, it’s a bit of a mystery as to why.
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For a god who is beloved, it is ironic that what he is most remembered for in stories is his tragic death. Of course, it is likely that such a perfect and beloved character was created specifically for the purpose of sharpening the edge of tragedy, but the fact remains that Balder’s death is the god’s greatest and most lasting legacy.
A dark prophecy
At some point, Balder began to have terrible dreams that foretold his death. Since everyone loved him so much, this was also troubling and disturbing to the other gods. Fearing that these dreams were prophetic, they sought a solution to prevent his death from occurring. The wise Odin took on the task of finding a final solution. Odin got on his horse, Sleipnir, and literally rode it to the underworld, where a deceased seeress resided.
When Odin arrived there (in disguise), the underworld was decorated and prepared for a party. It then turned out that the seeress had foreseen Balder’s death and they were preparing a fitting welcome for someone of this status. When Odin told Frigga about what had been prophesied to happen to her son, she went to all things of the cosmos and received an oath from them that they would not harm Balder.
The death of Balder
Because of these oaths, Balder became essentially invincible. The other gods thought this was hilarious and took great pleasure in throwing all sorts of things at Balder to see them bounce harmlessly off him. Loki, the god of mischief, saw this as a great opportunity. He went to Frigga in disguise and asked her if she had really received an oath of EVERYTHING in the cosmos. Frigga let slip that the exception was the humble mistletoe, as he saw no way it could be dangerous.
Armed with this knowledge, Loki went to Balder’s blind brother Hodr and offered him to join in the sport of throwing things at his now invulnerable brother. He gave Hodr a branch of mistletoe and pointed him in the right direction. The branch pierced Balder and killed him on the spot. If you thought the world was sad when Princess Diana passed away, that was nothing compared to the cosmic grief that was expressed by Balder’s death.
Another son of Odin, Hermod, volunteered to take Sleipner to the underworld and beg Hel, the goddess who ruled that domain, to return him. Hel accepted on the condition that everyone in the cosmos mourn Balder. Loki, once again frustrated this plan, since he (disguised once again) refused to shed a tear and thus Balder remained with Hel until Ragnarok, which is the name of the Norse apocalypse.
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The name Balder is well traveled and can be found in many places in the modern world. Throughout Europe there are many streets, towns and other places named after him or a name derived from him. There is even a town in southern Manitoba named after this god of beauty. Of course, since Thor has become a household name again thanks to his incarnation in Marvel Comics, Balder has not been far behind.
He is depicted as a heroic character and ally of the comic book god of thunder. His name also figures prominently in the Baldur’s Gate series of role-playing video games, a series that is widely regarded as one of the best game series ever made.
