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Víðarr

Mythology
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The silent god who will avenge Odin by killing Fenrir at Ragnarök.

Detailed Definition
Víðarr, son of Odin and the giantess Gríðr, wears a special shoe to step on Fenrir’s jaw. In poetry, he embodies patient vengeance and the promise of justice beyond destruction, offering hope in apocalyptic narrative.
Example
Example in poetry:
Víðarr, the silent god who avenges Odin by killing Fenrir at Ragnarök; In Völuspá, he steps on the wolf’s lower jaw with his thick shoe; Poets use Víðarr to symbolize resilience, quiet strength, and filial duty; His leather shoe, made from discarded scraps, becomes a kenning for preparation; In Grímnismál, he’s called “the wide-ruling,” linking him to space and survival; Modern verse uses him as an emblem of stoic justice and post-apocalyptic renewal.
Additional Notes
Víðarr, son of Odin and the giantess Gríðr, is known as “the silent god” and wears a special shoe made from leather scraps saved over time—this footwear enables him to step on Fenrir’s lower jaw during Ragnarök and tear the wolf apart, avenging his father; his silence contrasts with Odin’s verbosity, representing stoic resolve—poets can invoke Víðarr to explore themes of patience, filial duty, or the power of restraint, especially as a counterpoint to more volatile gods in apocalyptic narratives.
Also Known As
Vidar
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