Moral Code

Trying to find any moral compass inside of Loki can be quite the task for most, seeming that Loki is often portrayed as the villain in Norse mythology, but I have a different perception of Loki. Even though Loki is labeled the trickster, the mischief maker and the evil one. These are not names that Loki claims for himself; these are labels that Loki’s peers and fellow gods placed upon him. If Loki is portrayed as the main villain of the Norse myths, it also seems that he is portrayed as a hero in some of the tales. We will look into a few myths for prime examples of Loki helping his fellow gods and we could even go as far as to say saving his fellow gods from their end. For example, Loki cuts off Sif’s hair leaving her bald with the feeling of disgrace, but then retrieves her hair after being threatened with death by Thor and also brings back gifts for the rest of the gods. The gifts that Loki brings back for the other gods exceed any gift that they would ever receive. Loki received no thanks from the gods in this myth. Yes, Loki cutting off Sif’s hair and having to go fetch her new hair was a task that he had caused on himself, but he had no obligation to bring back anything for the other gods. We should also take into account the myth of how Loki devised the plan to help Thor get his hammer back which was stolen by the Jotunn Thrym. He also had no obligation to help Thor, but he still gave a helping hand in order for Thor to get his hammer “Mjolnir” back. This is a myth that we can highlight Loki acting as a hero rather than the villian. Last but not least, in the tale of Idunn’s apples, Loki can be viewed as a hero because if he had not brought Idunn back to the gods they would have surely perished at some point. Even though Loki was the reason Idunn was kidnapped, Loki had no obligation to return her but seeing his fellow peers headed towards their demise Loki took action to bring them back to pristine health. 

The undeniable prophecy that Loki is the foretold prime enemy of the gods in the event of Ragnarok seems to be the sole reason for Loki being portrayed as the villain in the Norse myths. 

The question I often ask myself is why did the gods not make the viable changes in their actions towards Loki to counter the prophecy? By not showing Loki or his innocent children mercy, it seems to have strengthened the prophecy of Ragnarok. Being that the gods went to such far extents to protect Baldur based off of a mere dream that he had, but to bind, banish and kill Loki’s children who had not committed any acts of cruelty was a display of prejudice. Every situation that the gods had to show Loki he was appreciated as a friend the gods did not. It also seems that once Loki realizes the mistreatment he has received, he no longer has the motivation to fight his given fate. 

Loki’s moral code to my understanding is the place that you long to be may not be the place that you are meant to be. Due to Loki’s complex birth story it is a mystery whether he is full blooded Jotunn or half Jotunn and half Aesir. Whether Loki was full blooded Aesir or not, the Aesir gods still took him in as one of their own, but it is questionable whether they accepted him as one of their own. Most of us as human beings have been in a place where we were in search of acceptance from our peers and during that search we go through stages of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and then finally the acceptance of acknowledging how we have been rejected and recognizing our needs to move onward. These stages of rejection personify Loki’s actions. Loki’s denial stage can be viewed as being the hero who is never praised and rather defamed, but he never seems to hold it to much regard that the other gods are impertinent toward him. We as humans go through the same treatment when we have been rejected by trying to rationalize the circumstances to a misunderstanding by downplaying the significance of the situation. Loki’s anger stage can be noticed when he creates mischief, thus giving him the nickname the trickster and evil doer. We can look at Loki’s mischief the same way we as humans proceed with anger as our motivator because it impairs our rational thought process which can lead to impulsive decision making. This could cause aggressive behavior or actions toward others because anger combined with the feeling of being wronged can lead to a sought out retribution of the wrongdoer or wrongdoers. Loki’s bargaining stage is exemplified when he brings gifts to the gods even when it seems as if they do not deserve them. We as humans can relate to this matter for example, trying to change behaviors to fit in or seeking a way to regain the acceptance that we once felt. Loki’s depression stage can be exemplified as to when he retreats to being alone on midgard and waits for his justice to be served from the gods. As humans we naturally retreat when depression sets in and we go into isolation sometimes questioning our self esteem or morals. Finally Loki comes to the stage of acceptance by accepting his fate from the foretold prophecy, when he is bound in a cave by the gods, no longer having any desire to be among them waiting for the day he is set free to join forces with the Jotunn, his children and enemies of the gods at Ragnarok. When we as humans get to the acceptance stage we come to terms with the circumstances of the situation and move forward seeking new relationships more fitting to who we are and our needs. Loki’s story is more than just a tale, I believe that the myths of Loki point focus to understanding your place among your peers. Where you are, may not always be where you need to be and your environment may set the tone for your fate. I hope you know that you are able to change your fate. Fate means that the course of your life is predetermined beyond your control, but truth be told nothing is beyond your control except your birth and death. After all, Loki could have left a toxic situation long before his end, but seeking a social place that you will never have, will only lead you through a path of turmoil. Loki is the personification of rejective response from others and the myths of Loki are a fantastic read, but an even more informative lesson .

-Jameek Braggs