Odin is one of the most highly revered deities in the Norse pantheon. He’s also one of the most recognizable to modern viewers — with his ravens, wolves, eight-legged horse, and a missing eye, it’s hard to mistake him for anyone else. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Germanic paganism, he’s known as Woden. While he’s chiefly associated with the Viking Age, folklore in rural Germanic areas still acknowledges his presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The name Odin most likely stems from a Proto-Germanic word that translates to “lord of frenzy.” He also lends his name to Wednesday. He’s often referred to as the All-Father.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a deity, Odin is connected to wisdom, battle, sorcery, poetry, the dead, and the valkyries. In later legends, he’s said to ride across the winter sky as the leader of a procession of the dead, known as the Wild Hunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Old Norse sources describe him as the son of Burr, son of the father deity B\u00fari, and the Bestla, the giantess daughter of B\u00f6l\u00feorn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Odin has two brothers, Vili (“will”) and V\u00e9 (“sanctuary”). Together with Odin, these brothers form a triumvirate: spirit, will, and sacredness. They also killed the giant Ymir, which ended the reign of the giants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Interestingly, Vili and V\u00e9 don’t play a large role outside of this. In the Norse pantheon, Odin is part of a trio of the most powerful of Norse gods: Odin, Thor, and Freyr.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Odin is often portrayed with two ravens, Huginn and Muninn. Huginn represents conscious thought, while Muninn represents memory. They are said to fly out over the world each day and return with information for him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the poem Gr\u00edmnism\u00e1l, Gr\u00edmnir points out that he worries every day that Huginn might not return but worries more about Muninn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n