Description:
The figure of the hooded traveller who arrives at auspicious times or visits the court of a king and causes some sort of event with his presence. This may or may not include a tongue-in-cheek pseudonym such as "Hooded one" or "Guest."
The hooded traveller trope, when it comes to Old Norse literature, is always Óðinn (LINK) in disguise, usually as a beggar in a rough cloak with a head covering obscuring his face and using a name which also appears in lists of heiti ("names," "synonyms") referring to the god in some of the mythological poems, such as Grímnismál. He also is usually described as grey of hair or beard, indicating older age, and with his distinctive one eye. In modern works of fantasy, the hooded traveller still bears the hallmarks of Óðinn. Look no further than Gandalf in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, whose knowledge of ancient knowledge, magical abilities, and long, grey beard echo the figure of the disguised Óðinn, guiding the fellowship and appearing at key moments of help and salvation.
| Name | Description | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grímnismál | Grímnismál ("The Words of Grímnir") is one of the poems contained in the Codex Regius ("royal book") of the
Óðinn (anglicized as Odin) is a deity and a major figure in Norse mythology and Old Norse literature. He belongs to the group of divine beings call... |