What Does Thor's Hammer Mean

Thor, the god of thunder and the sky in Norse Mythology, is notoriously known for his attachment to Mjolnir, his hammer. This hammer was used to perform good deeds that would protect many people. This weapon was used to kill giants, but also “in formal ceremonies to bless marriages, births, and probably funerals as well,” (Thor’s Hammer 2). Thor kept this hammer very close since it is used all throughout his lifetime. One time, Thor had not been paying close enough attention to it because it was stolen by the giants and only to be retrieved by completing a difficult task.
When Thor had realized the disappearance of his beloved hammer, he turned to Loki, his friend, and trickster god of Norse Mythology. Loki helps Thor by traveling to the land of the Frost Giants to talk to the giant king. The king’s response is very unique, and it presents a problem for Thor and Loki. The giant tells Loki, “ ‘The hammer lies eight leagues under the earth. If you want it,
bring me Freyja as my bride,’ ” (Napoli 86). Freyja in Folkvang was a goddess of love and beauty, and Thor and Loki were friends with her. Of course they could not hand her over to the giants, so they had to find some other solution.
At first, Thor and Loki asked Freyja what she thought of the idea.
She got very upset and didn’t appreciate the agreement. Now the two gods needed to find another way to retrieve Thor’s hammer. They decided to call all the gods and goddesses together for a meeting to discuss the situation. At last, the god Heimdall said, “ ‘Let's put a bridal veil on Thor,’ ” (Napoli 87). This may seem like a crazy idea, but after Freyja refused the proposal, Thor was their last hope.
All the deities began to joke and laugh and think of all the possible ways to make Thor look like a bride. They were going to repair the necklace from Freyja and put Thor in a beautiful white dress. Of course Thor wasn’t fully on board and says to the gods and goddesses, “ ‘Do you mean to shame me, making me dress as a woman?’ ” (Napoli 88). If anyone were to retrieve the hammer is should be Thor since he knows how to handle the weapons powers. Eventually Thor agrees to the plan, and they send word to the giant king Thrym that “Freyja” will marry
him.
Soon after, Thor gets dressed in a beautiful wedding gown only to go and take back his hammer. Thor and Loki arrive at the land of the Frost Giants, and none of them realize who “Freyja” really is. Giants aren’t particularly the smartest creatures in the world, so this characteristic of them worked in Thor and Loki’s favor. Once Thor and Loki arrived at the banquet hall, they had a fabulous feast of oxen and salmon. Soon Thrym was starting to notice changes in Freyja. They made up excuses that she hadn’t slept or had anything to eat in the last eight days since she was so excited for their wedding.
Once Thor and Thrym has exchanged rings, Thor requested the hammer to be brought to him. As soon as it was placed in his lap, Thor ripped off the veil and sprung to his feet. He immediately crashed Mjolnir into Thrym’s head, as well as all the other giants heads. Soon after, Thor was able to return home and continue to save humans with the help of his trusty hammer. The whole time, Thor was worried and embarrassed that dressing up as a woman would ruin his image. The whole plan was actually a very good idea, and Thor was able to slay the giants once again.