Creation Myth: A Comparative Analysis

Mythology has been a very interesting subject-matter that many scholars attend to
understand. Being that mythology is very broad in its sense, for it covers different branches and
categories, and considering the vast amount of myths across the world, the most important myth,
however, as many people would try to analyze, is the creation myth. The creation myth, which
has different versions according to its native place of origins, has caught the eye of many people.
People have tried to decipher whether these creation myths, has a profound relationship or
connection with one another. Many have tried to find its differences and most especially, people
have continuously tried to find any hints of similarities. With this, we will present our own
analysis of all the similarities coming from the Greek and Norse creation myth. The similarities
which we found from these two creation myths are as follows:

First, both creation myths have started with the concept of vast emptiness. It can be
observed that both had started narrating about the nothingness with which all things began to
happen. In Greek, the concept of emptiness has a specific name which named as “Chaos”, as
stated in the first sentence of the first paragraph, “In the beginning there was only Chaos the
gaping emptiness…” thus, out from Chaos the emptiness, started all things to happen. Similarly,
in the Norse creation myth, it also began telling about the place of emptiness known as
“Ginnungagap” which is a vast emptiness between the Nifflheim and Muspell. As stated,“To the
north lies Nifflheim, covered by ice and snow. To the south lies Muspell, a world seething in fire
and flames. Between was a vast emptiness called Ginnungagap. Venomous water from the spring
Hvergelmir in Nifflheim flowed into this emptiness…Life began in these drops…”

The next common between this two, is the concept of killing their forefather. In Norse
creation myth, it is said that the children of Bor and Bestla, such as Odin, Vill, and Ve, had killed
the Giant Ymir through which all the living creations sprang up. “The three sons of Bor had no
use for Ymir and his growing family of brutish giants. They attacked and killed Ymir…They took
Ymir’s body to the center of Ginnungagap. From his body, they made the world.” This event also
happened in the Greek creation myth, where in Uranus, was betrayed by his sons, led by the
youngest titan Cronus. “Gaea and Cronus set up an ambush for Uranus… Cronus castrated him
with the sickle, throwing his severed genitals into the ocean…” Thus, killing their forefathers
resulted in them being the new rulers of the world.

The third and last similarity between this two is that, both Uranus and Ymir’s body
became the source of creation of the other living creatures. While Uranus in Greek creation was
castrated, parts of him become the source of other creatures’ existence. As stated, “From the
blood that was spilled on the earth due to his castration, emerged the Giants, the Meliae (the Ash
Tree Nymphs), and the Erinyes (the Furies). From the sea foam that was produced when his
genitals fell into the ocean, arose Aphrodite, the Goddess of Beauty.” Similarly, in Norse
creation, it is stated that the three sons of Bor; Odin, Vili and Ve, had took Ymir’s body after
they killed him and out from it, they created the worlds. It can be read also from the very
beginning of the Norse creation myth that from the sweat of Ymir emerged a man and a woman,
thus are called Giants, making Ymir the forefather of all. “As Ymir slept, he sweated. A man and
a woman grew out of the ooze under his left armput, and one of Ymir’s legs fathered a six headed
son on the other leg.” With these, one can conclude that both Forefathers were used or served as
the link of the existence of other creations of the world.

In general, the similarities mentioned earlier; Chaos and Ginnungagap as representation

of emptiness, Uranus and Ymir as the forefathers being killed by their sons and replaced in
ruling the world, and lastly, Uranus and Ymir’s body as both the source of life, can be observed
and were common. Scrutinizing all the events that had happened in the story may show certain
uniqueness of similarities, however, to plot a connection that both may be of the same creation
will require more analysis and readings to further gain more clues that would help solve the
puzzle of the creation myth.