The Northman is partially inspired on Vita Amlethi, a work of Norse mythology that tells the story of a young Viking prince by the name of Amleth. The plot centres on Amleth’s ability to exact revenge on his brother Fj lnir for killing his father, King Aurvandil, who was the subject of the tale. The movie creates an original plot that would be appropriate for the Viking Age, drawing inspiration from Nordic literature and lifestyle. The study that went into accurately portraying the visual aspects, whether it be the way people lived in Iceland at the period or the fact that many Vikings evaded the rules and migrated from Scandinavian countries to Iceland, is what makes The Northman blatantly credible. For the proper representation of the Viking Icelandic settlements in the movie, research was done on them.
Amleth had seen his brother Fjolnir cut off his father’s head, King Aurvandill. From that point on, killing Fjolnir was his sole motivation in life. He was kept alive by his need for vengeance. Amleth had become a Viking berserker after fleeing the Kingdom of Hrafnsey. The bears and wolves provided the terrifying strength that the berserkers, warriors who plundered towns, drew from. They would engage in a trance rite the night before the attack while dressed in the animals’ skins. As dawn broke, they would penetrate the communities by imitating the bears’ and wolves’ sounds and movements while wearing animal skins, eventually disclosing their true identities. When Amleth tore the flesh off an armed man to slay him, the scene wonderfully captured the barbarians in action. It was about turning into animals and killing people at will during the attack. The berserkers are claimed to have transformed into beasts and won wars for themselves, according to Norse mythology.
The seers played a crucial role throughout the Viking era. Because of their prodigious status at the time, they were considered to be prophets. Although they couldn’t see the actual world because their eyes were stitched shut, they were nevertheless able to view both the past and the future. She recognised him when Amleth encountered her in the Odin temple in the village they plundered at night. Even while everyone else believed Prince Amleth was dead, she knew it was him. She prompted him to consider the necessary retaliation and the ways in which he could move toward his goal. She suggested that he travel across the sea to the edge of the planet and settle on an island where he would encounter a vixen. Following its tail would lead him to a location where he might locate a blade that was intended to kill his foe. This story twist was revealed long before Amleth set out on his voyage, demonstrating the seeress’s influence. The Seid, an ecstasy technique used by the Seeresses to travel through time and reveal secrets, was well known.
Gudrun expressed how fearless King Aurvandill was as a husband after their confrontation. When Amleth discovered the truth about her mother—who admitted to loving Fjolnir and wanting Amleth to die—she was astounded. Amleth killed Thorir, the oldest son of Fjolnir, in a fit of rage. The funeral rites that took place after Thorir’s passing serve as an example of Viking-era burial practises. When Thorir died, his body was stretched out on a ship, and he was given everything he needed to have a seamless transition to the afterlife, including the opportunity to make sacrifices of slaves. A slave girl is seen getting into the boat with Thorir, showing how she gave her life to serve her lord. She went with him to help him also in the afterlife.
In the final scene, Amleth saw his wife and his two children one last time before passing away. They were content and secure. They were shielded by his sacrifice from the evil that may have ended their lives. Both his vision and the seeress’s prophecy predicted that his daughter would become a female king when she was an adult. He engaged in present-day combat with his adversaries in order to save his daughter, who had a promising future. Olga finally instructs him to proceed through the doorway. the path that each soldier aspires to take after giving their lives in battle. To pass away in battle was regarded as the highest honour because it guaranteed one’s position in Valhalla. In Norse mythology, Valhalla is a regal hall that is situated in Odin’s realm of Asgard. The name Valhalla means “hall of the dead” in English. Amleth was content when the Valkyries transported him on a horse with wings. The majestic hall of the fallen was led by female characters known as the Valkyries, who were Nordic warriors.
See More: The Northman Ending, Explained: Did Almeth Avenge His Father s Death? Is Almeth Dead Or Alive?
