Working from the Poetic Edda, the Prose Edda, and Old Norse prose narratives and laws, Jenny Jochens argues for an underlying cultural continuum of a pagan pantheon and a set of heroic figures shared by the Germanic tribes in Europe, Britain, Scandinavia, and Iceland from A.D. 500 to 1500. Old Norse Images of Women explores the female half of this legacy, which involves images both divine and human. In a society marked by sharp gender divisions, women were frequently portrayed as one of four conventional types. The warrior woman was exemplified by the valkyrie, sheildmaiden, or maiden king. The wise woman was a prophetess or sorceress. The avenger is best seen in Gudrun, whose focus of revenge shifted from husband to brothers. Last, there were the whetters or inciters, who appear both in the Continental setting as Brynhildr and as ubiquitous figures in medieval Icelandic literature, ranging from Norwegian queens to humble milkmaids.
The final issue of this spectacular mini-series is finally here! Suzanne has turned her back on the Valkyrie power and flees to earth, promising Odin she will hide her sword. But Loki has other plans for the Valkyrie sword, knowing it will give him the advantage in the Asgard Civil War. Soon, Loki and his minions mount a full scale invasion of Suzanne's frozen Colorado town. Suzanne must make a choice between accepting her Valkyrie heritage or spelling certain doom for her earthbound home. It's wall to wall action as the Asgard war comes to Earth. Will Suzanne have the strength to be the first human Valkryie? Can she bring peace to both Asgard and Earth? Find out in the thrilling conclusion to the Power of the Valkyrie!
Collects Marvel Super Hero Contest Of Champions #1-3, West Coast Avengers Annual #2 and Avengers Annual #16. The first-ever Marvel event series receives the extra-sized treatment it deserves! When the Grandmaster plays a game of cosmic chess against Death herself, Earth's super heroes become the pawns! If the Grandmaster wins, his brother the Collector will be restored to life. But if he loses, Death will claim a bitter price! Each side selects twelve champions from across Earth to do battle for the fragments of the golden globe of life. But this clash of Marvel titans comes with unexpected twists and turns - and several surprising new combatants! Then, months later, the fallout of the contest leads to a life-and-death saga pitting two teams of Avengers against one another - and a truly lethal Legion of the Unliving!
Before unification, Germany was a loose collection of variously sovereign principalities, nurtured on deep thought, fine music and hard rye bread. It was known across Europe for the plentiful supply of consorts to be found among its abundant royalty, but the language and culture was largely incomprehensible to those outside its lands. In the long eighteenth and nineteenth centuries- between the end of the Thirty Years War in 1648 and unification under Bismarck in 1871 - Germany became the land of philosophers, poets, writers and composers. This particularly German cultural movement was able to survive the avalanche of Napoleonic conquest and exploitation and its impact was gradually felt far beyond Germany's borders. In this book, Roderick Cavaliero provides a fascinating overview of Germany's cultural zenith in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. He considers the work of Germany's own artistic exports - the literature of Goethe and Grimm, the music of Wagner, Schumann, Mendelssohn and Bach and the philosophy of Schiller and Kant - as well as the impact of Germany on foreign visitors from Coleridge to Thackeray and from Byron to Disraeli. Providing a comprehensive and highly-readable account of Germany's cultural life from Frederick the Great to Bismarck, 'Genius, Power and Magic' is fascinating reading for anyone interested in European history and cultural history.
One of the leading ladies of TidalWave Productions. The full "Power of the Valkyrie" comic book series is collected for the first time in this GIANT SIZED Omnibus. As a human, Susan has to deal with complications in her life. But when she is suddenly bestowed with the heavenly power of the Valkyrie, she finds that her responsibilities have increased manifold. Now she must protect both Asgard and her home, Earth from the evil God Loki. And she must also choose what is right, for her as the Valkyrie, not just what the Asgardians think is right. Included in this Omnibus is the first mini-series of the "Power of the Valkyrie" as well as the new Chronos Edda mini-series. Also the one shot featuring the crossover with Venus and never before seen images!
Enthralling, sexy, musical and artistic, Minnie is a character sure to find a place in the annals of literary heroines. In this captivating novel by Huguette Thiboutot, we follow the adventures of a divorced grandmother as she bridges the gap between Innocence and Experience, with an open heart and a mind full of hope. As she seeks out the best in the characters she meets along the road two latter day love - and they certainly are characters! - she finds the best in herself, and the strength to face life's challenges head-on. Minnie doesn't run from adversity, rather she runs toward it with the conquering heart of a lioness. How it all plays out is revealed in a series of mystical revelations in the office of a gifted psychic, a talented seer who is able to conjure giants of creativity from Mozart to Da Vinci culminating with an invitation to dance with Gauguin in an amazing dialog. Yet the question remains: Will Minnie's tender heart be broken or will love conquer all?
In this book, Lisa Coutras explores the structure and complexity of J.R.R. Tolkien’s narrative theology, synthesizing his Christian worldview with his creative imagination. She illustrates how, within the framework of a theological aesthetics, transcendental beauty is the unifying principle that integrates all aspects of Tolkien’s writing, from pagan despair to Christian joy. J.R.R. Tolkien’s Christianity is often held in an unsteady tension with the pagan despair of his mythic world. Some critics portray these as incompatible, while Christian analysis tends to oversimplify the presence of religious symbolism. This polarity of opinion testifies to the need for a unifying interpretive lens. The fact that Tolkien saw his own writing as “religious” and “Catholic,” yet was preoccupied with pagan mythology, nature, language, and evil, suggests that these areas were wholly integrated with his Christian worldview. Tolkien’s Theology of Beauty examines six structural elements, demonstrating that the author’s Christianity is deeply embedded in the narrative framework of his creative imagination.