In Norse mythology , Lofn ( Old Norse : [?lovn] , possibly "comforter," ^[1] "the comforter, the mild," ^[2] or "loving" ^[3] ) is a goddess . Lofn is attested in the Prose Edda , written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson and in kennings found in skaldic poetry. In the Prose Edda , Lofn is described as gentle in manner and as an arranger of marriages, even when they have been forbidden. Scholars have proposed theories about the implications of the goddess.

Attestations [ edit ]

In chapter 35 of the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning , High provides brief descriptions of 16 asynjur . High lists Lofn eighth and about her says that:

'She is so gentle and so good to invoke that she has permission from All-Father or Frigg to arrange unions between men and women, even if earlier offers have been received and unions have been banned. From her name comes the word lof , meaning permission as well as high praise.' ^[4]

In the Prose Edda book Skaldskaparmal , Lofn is included among a list of 27 asynjur names. ^[5] Elsewhere in Skaldskaparmal , Lofn appears in a kenning for "woman" in a work by the skald Ormr Steinþorsson . ^[6] Otherwise Lofn appears frequently as a base word in skaldic kennings for "woman." ^[7]

Theories [ edit ]

John Lindow says that scholars have generally followed Snorri's etymological connection with the root lof- , meaning "praise." Lindow says that, along with many other goddesses, some scholars theorize that Lofn may simply be another name for the goddess Frigg. ^[7] Rudolf Simek theorizes that Snorri used skaldic kennings to produce his Gylfaginning commentary about the goddess, while combining several etymologies with the Old Norse personal name Lofn . ^[8]

Notes [ edit ]

References [ edit ]