The Mythology of Loki

Loki (Lokir) is a figure in Norse mythology. His father is Farbauti, a Jotunn, and his mother Laufey. He is the brother of Thor and son of Odin, making him a member of the Aesir. Loki is a trickster god, often mischievous but sometimes helpful, who helps the gods out of predicaments. He is also a god of death and destruction, and of love and lust.

His name means ‘to make nets’, both literal fish nets and metaphorical ones such as his cunning schemes which trap the gods in perilous situations. The name may also refer to his role as the knot in the straight thread of the universe, a concept which resonates strongly with his nature as a shapeshifter: he is known to have been able to change his appearance into any number of different creatures, including a hawk, a flea, a salmon, a raven and an old hag.

Like other trickster figures in various cultures, Loki is neither for nor against the gods; he simply seeks to challenge conventional boundaries and conventions. His chaotic inconsistency made him a figure that reminded believers that good and evil were far more subjective and elusive than they initially thought.

Throughout the myths, Loki slowly changes from being an ally to an enemy of the gods. In Lokasenna, he storms into a feast hosted by the AEsir and insults them all, and in Gylfaginning he tricks Hodr into killing Balder. He is also responsible for a wager with the Giants that puts Freyja in danger, but by changing her shape and sex she is rescued. In addition, he has spawned Hel, the goddess of death; Jormungand, the Midgard Serpent; and Sleipnir, Odin’s eight-legged horse.