nordyckie: Draugr

Evidence: 100 • authority: 72

In Nordic folklore, the draugr, or draug (Old Norse: draugr; Icelandic: draugur; Faroese: dreygur; Norwegian: draug, drauv; Swedish: drög, dröger; Northern Sami: rávga), is an archaic term for a malevolent revenant with varying ambiguous traits. In modern times, they are often portrayed as Norse supernatural zombies, loosely based on the draugr as described in early medieval Icelandic sagas. However, in myth and folklore, they comprise several complex ideas which change from story to story, especially in surviving Norwegian folklore, where the draugr remains a staple – see § Norwegian folklore. In the Icelandic sagas, from which most modern interest is garnered, draugs live in their graves…

Evidence: 50 • authority: 72

Evidence: 45 • authority: 72

William Morris's influence on J. R. R. Tolkien was substantial. From an early age, Tolkien bought many of Morris's books, including his fantasies, poetry, and translations. Both men liked the Norse sagas, disliked mechanisation, and wrote fantasy books which they illustrated themselves; both included poems and songs in their books. On the other hand, Morris was a socialist and atheist, while Tolkien was a Catholic. Scholars have identified multiple elements of Tolkien's fantasy writings that match Morris's writings. These range from general aspects like use of archaism and a medieval setting, to specific features like details of life in a Nordic hall and a savage character who brings the pr…

Evidence: 37 • authority: 72

Barrow-wights are wraith-like creatures in J. R. R. Tolkien's world of Middle-earth. In The Lord of the Rings, the four hobbits are trapped by a barrow-wight, and are lucky to escape with their lives; but they gain ancient swords of Westernesse for their quest. Tolkien derived the idea of barrow-wights from Norse mythology, where heroes of several Sagas fight undead beings known as draugrs. Scholars have noted a resemblance, too, between the breaking of the barrow-wight's spell and the final battle in Beowulf, where the dragon's barrow is entered and the treasure released from its spell. Barrow-wights do not appear in Peter Jackson's film trilogy, but they do feature in computer games based…

Evidence: 33 • authority: 72

Nordic folklore is the folklore of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. It has common roots with, and has been under mutual influence with, folklore in England, Germany, the Low Countries, the Baltic countries, Finland and Sápmi. Folklore is a concept encompassing expressive traditions of a particular culture or group. The peoples of Scandinavia are heterogenous, as are the oral genres and material culture that has been common in their lands. However, there are some commonalities across Scandinavian folkloric traditions, among them a common ground in elements from Norse mythology as well as Christian conceptions of the world. Among the many tales common in Scandinavian or…