The Mythology of Loki

Loki has long been an enigmatic figure in Norse mythology. He is the god of mischief and often initiates complications in every story he appears in. The AEsir often assume it is Loki’s fault whenever something goes wrong, although the trickster god has no control over the unforeseen circumstances of life and may actually be a helpful ally.

He has a love of power and the ability to play with his enemies’ emotions. As a result, he can be both evil and good. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has transformed loki into a more human character, portraying him as both amusing and vulnerable. The series is also able to strip back Loki’s layers of deception and reveal the innermost core of the character. It is this that can be interpreted by modern-day audiences.

According to the Poetic and Prose Eddas, Loki’s first wife or mate was Angrboda. He had three offspring with her – Hela, the goddess of death; Fenrir, the wolf god; and Jormungandr, the Midgard Serpent. He was later betrothed to Sigyn and had two sons with her, Nari and Vali.

Despite his omnipresence in Norse mythology, there is not much that is known about Loki’s family. There is an image from England that has been interpreted as a depiction of Loki, but this carving is from the late 10th century and is from Christian art. Therefore, it is likely that the carving depicts a demon or other malevolent creature from Christian mythology rather than the Norse god of mischief.