Balder Dead
'Balder Dead' Summary
'Balder Dead' recounts the tragic story of Balder, son of Odin and Frigg. Balder is known for his beauty, goodness, and the love he inspires in all those around him. However, Loki, the trickster god, envies Balder's popularity and plots his demise. Exploiting a loophole in Frigg's protection of Balder, Loki convinces the blind god Hodr to throw a mistletoe dart at Balder, killing him. The poem delves into the despair that grips the gods and goddesses following Balder's death, as they struggle to comprehend the loss of such a cherished figure. Through the eyes of the gods, Arnold explores the depths of their grief, the struggle to accept fate, and the destructive power of jealousy and envy. 'Balder Dead' ultimately presents a poignant reflection on the cyclical nature of life, death, and the enduring power of love and loss in the face of tragedy.Book Details
Authors
Matthew Arnold
British
Matthew Arnold was an English poet and cultural critic who worked as an inspector of schools. He was the son of Thomas Arnold, the celebrated headmaster of Rugby School, and brother to both Tom Arnold...
Books by Matthew ArnoldDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
Related books
Rainbow and the Rose by E. Nesbit
'Rainbow and the Rose' is a collection of poems written in the distinctive, whimsical style of Edith Nesbit, the acclaimed author of beloved children'...
Burnt Ship by John Donne
'A Burnt Ship' is a poem by John Donne that explores the themes of love, loss, and faith. The speaker uses a vivid metaphor of a ship burning at sea t...
Lady Makbeth des Mzensker Landkreises by Nikolai Leskov
Lady Macbeth des Mzensker Landkreises is a novella by Nikolai Leskov that explores the dark consequences of passion and ambition. Katerina Lwowna, tra...
To Sleep by Sir Philip Sidney
Sir Philip Sidney's "To Sleep" is a short, but powerful, poem reflecting on the allure and mystery of sleep. The poem explores themes of rest, escape...
Canadian Wonder Tales by Cyrus Macmillan
This collection of Canadian folk tales, compiled by Cyrus Macmillan, features a diverse range of stories originating from both Indigenous oral traditi...
Good Hours by Robert Frost
LibriVox volunteers bring you 41 different recordings of Good Hours by Robert Frost. This was the weekly poetry project for the week of September 9th,...
Oedipus Rex (Storr Translation) by Sophocles
Oedipus the King (often known by the Latin title Oedipus Rex) is an Athenian tragedy by Sophocles that was first performed c. 429 BC. It was the secon...
History of King Lear by Nahum Tate
Nahum Tate's "The History of King Lear" is a 17th-century adaptation of Shakespeare's famous tragedy. While retaining much of the original plot and ch...
Furies (Morshead Translation) by Aeschylus
The "Eumenides", also known as "The Kindly Ones", is the final play in Aeschylus's renowned trilogy, "The Oresteia." It follows the aftermath of Orest...
Myricae by Giovanni Pascoli
Myricae, è la raccolta di poesie più amata dal Pascoli. [...] Nel 1903, la raccolta definitiva comprendeva 156 liriche del poeta. I componimenti in es...
Reviews for Balder Dead
No reviews posted or approved, yet...