Illustration
Hel, queen of the underworld in Norse mythology, artwork by Mkasahara, 2019.
Hel was a female character in Norse mythology who ruled the realm of the dead of the same name. Her kingdom was said to be a hopeless, gloomy, and dark place, located in a land called Niflheim. Hel was the daughter of the trickster Loki and the giantess Angrboda. As such, she was not recognised as a proper goddess but rather an entity called jötunn.
The image portrays Hel as being half flesh-coloured and half blue. This represents her dual role as existing between realms of death and life.
Cite This Work
APA Style
Mkasahara. (2021, September 06). Hel, Norse Ruler of the Dead. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14583/hel-norse-ruler-of-the-dead/
Chicago Style
Mkasahara. "Hel, Norse Ruler of the Dead." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified September 06, 2021. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14583/hel-norse-ruler-of-the-dead/.
MLA Style
Mkasahara. "Hel, Norse Ruler of the Dead." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 06 Sep 2021. Web. 21 Feb 2025.