Dernière modification le 16/09/2026.

Hel, the goddess of the dead in Norse mythology, reigns over the nine underworlds.

Introduction

The daughter of Loki and the giantess Angrboda, Hel is the sister of the giant wolf Fenrir and the sea serpent Jörmungand. Her name comes from *helja*, meaning “to welcome” or “to hide.” Odin cast her into Helheim (or Nibelheim), where she became the queen of the nine underworlds and the goddess of the straw-dead.

Description

She has a frightening appearance; her face is split in two: one half looks alive, but the other is cadaverous. Her dwelling is not a welcoming place, for Treachery is her threshold, Disease her bed, Famine her bowl, and Hunger her knife. Her pleasure is to move wicked souls from one place to another within her kingdom in order to train them to serve her on their knees.

Functions

Hel guides the souls of the “straw dead” from the realm of the living to the realm of the dead. The term “straw dead” refers to all those who have died other than in battle (whose souls are taken by the Valkyries and sent to Valhalla or Sessrúmnir). This includes all those who have died of natural causes, illness, or other reasons.

Since the dead are sent out to sea on their ships, she guides the vessel along one of the twelve rivers that carry them to the realm of the dead. Élivágar is the best-known of these rivers, flowing into the land of Gimlé, the equivalent of the Greek Elysian Fields. For the deceased who had been buried, stones were placed on their graves so that Hel could transform them into ships and carry the souls of the deceased.

History

Goddess of the Straw Dead

As Loki’s daughter, Hel was raised alongside her brothers Jörmungand and Fenrir in Jötunheim, the realm of the giants. The Aesir eventually grew concerned about the power of these children and summoned them to Asgard to decide their fate. They decided to cast Jörmungand into the sea surrounding Midgard, Fenrir was chained up, and Hel was sent to the underworld of Helheim. She was tasked with guiding the souls of the dead to the afterlife.

The Death of Balder

Because she was Loki’s daughter, she had a very strained relationship with the Asgardians. When Balder was killed, the Asgardians sent Hemrod to beg her to agree to release him.

So Hel agreed, on the condition that all the living mourn Balder. But Loki disguised himself as an old woman and did not mourn him, so that he would remain in the realm of the dead.

Ragnarök

During Ragnarök, Hel does not take part in the battle directly. However, to help her father, she will send an army of the dead.

References

Literature: Edda

Illustration: The children of Loki and Angrboda: Jörmungand, Hel, and Fenrir (E. Doepler)

Movie: Thor: Ragnarok (T. Waititi)

Video Games: SMITE (Titan Forge), Viking Battle for Asgard (Creative Assembly), Fire Emblem Heroes (Intelligent Systems), Motto Immortal (GOAT Games)

Image: depositphotos, Wikimedia Commons

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