Thor
Thor (Old Norse: Þórr) is the god of thunder, strength, and the protection of Asgard and Midgard against the giants (jötnar) in Norse mythology. The son of Odin, he is armed with the magical hammer Mjölnir, forged by dwarves, and is one of the most widely worshipped figures of historical Norse paganism.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-21
Historical fact
Thor is extensively documented in Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda and in the Poetic Edda. In Gylfaginning (Prose Edda), he is described as the son of Odin and the goddess/giantess Jörð (the Earth), the strongest of the gods, wielding the hammer Mjölnir, forged by the dwarves Brokkr and Eitri, and the belt of strength Megingjörð. In the poem Þrymskviða, from the Poetic Edda, his hammer is stolen by the giant Þrymr, who demands the goddess Freyja in marriage for its return; Thor disguises himself as the bride to recover the weapon. In Hymiskviða, another Poetic Edda poem, he fishes for the world serpent, Jörmungandr, during a sea expedition.
Interpretation — Eddic Sources (Snorri Sturluson)
In the Prose Edda, Thor is presented as the chief defender of Asgard against the giants, embodying direct physical strength in contrast to Odin's cunning. He is portrayed as a god of voracious appetite, explosive temper, and simple, direct loyalty — protecting gods and men from the jötnar in recurring accounts that fill much of Gylfaginning and Skáldskaparmál.
Interpretation — Reconstructed Norse Folk Religion (Ásatrú)
In contemporary Ásatrú practice, Thor is usually honored as protector of common people and guardian of social order, associated with courage, manual labor, and the keeping of oaths — a reading that projects his mythic role as defender of Asgard and Midgard onto the everyday life of modern practitioners, making him one of the most popular deities of the contemporary Norse revival.
This section presents one tradition's interpretation, not a verifiable fact.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the origin of Thor's hammer, Mjölnir?
- According to Skáldskaparmál, a section of Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, Mjölnir was forged by the dwarves Brokkr and Eitri (Sindri) as part of a wager with Loki — despite a small flaw in the handle, caused by a fly (actually Loki in disguise) that stung the smith during the forging, the hammer became the weapon most feared by the giants.
- Why did Thor disguise himself as a bride in the myth of Þrymskviða?
- In the poem Þrymskviða, from the Poetic Edda, the giant Þrymr steals Thor's hammer and demands the goddess Freyja in marriage as ransom. Since Freyja refuses, the gods convince Thor to disguise himself as her to infiltrate the wedding feast and recover Mjölnir.
Sources
- Snorri Sturluson (trans. Anthony Faulkes). The Prose Edda (c. 1220 (1987 ed.)).
- Anonymous (trans. Carolyne Larrington). The Poetic Edda (13th c. manuscript (2014 ed.)).
- H. R. Ellis Davidson. Gods and Myths of Northern Europe (1964).