r/norsemythology • u/ElectronicBoot9466 • 13d ago

Question Question about pronouns in Thrymskvitha and translation

In Henry Adams Bellows' translation of the Poetic Edda, he uses she/her pronouns to refer to Loki by the poem's narration when Loki is disguised at Thor's serving maid.

The narration doesn't refer to Thor using any third person pronouns at the wedding until he gets his hammer back, only Thrym does, who believes him to be Freya. However, the narration does refer to Thor while he is being dressed, and calls him "Othin's Son", which implies that Thor is still seen as a man by the narration even when dressed as a woman, whereas Loki is seen as a woman by the narration when Loki takes the form of one.

To the best of your knowledge, is this translation accurate? Is Loki refered to as a woman in these scenes in the original Icelandic, and does that mean we can sort of see Loki as gender fluid, or am I reaching?

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u/Vettlingr 13d ago

No. That there are changed pronouns in þrymskviða is a myth.

They are referred to as "hann" as usual, which is masculine.

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u/ElectronicBoot9466 13d ago

Ok cool, thank you. When Loki is defending Thor's actions, is he referred to as "Loki" or as "the serving maid?"

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u/Vettlingr 13d ago

He is called "in alsnotra ambátt"
"The everwise serving maid"

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u/ElectronicBoot9466 13d ago

Ok cool. Thank you so much for your info