What is the meaning of “his downfall was a mistletoe”
While listening to the song Death of the God of light, I noticed the following sentence.
His downfall was a mistletoe
Now I only know a mistletoe as the plant/Christmas decoration, which does not really help make sense of the sentence.
With a bit of searching around on Thesaurus and Google I couldn't really find any other meaning for the word, beyond what I already describe above.
Which brings me to the question, what does this sentence mean?
Is this some sort of proverb or symbolism?
meaning phrase-meaning
edited 16 hours ago
gmauch
1,99931019
asked 20 hours ago
MX DMX D
21117
New contributor
MX D is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
While listening to the song Death of the God of light, I noticed the following sentence.
His downfall was a mistletoe
Now I only know a mistletoe as the plant/Christmas decoration, which does not really help make sense of the sentence.
With a bit of searching around on Thesaurus and Google I couldn't really find any other meaning for the word, beyond what I already describe above.
Which brings me to the question, what does this sentence mean?
Is this some sort of proverb or symbolism?
meaning phrase-meaning
edited 16 hours ago
gmauch
1,99931019
asked 20 hours ago
MX DMX D
21117
New contributor
MX D is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
2
A mistletoe was his downfall.
– Jeremy
15 hours ago
add a comment |
While listening to the song Death of the God of light, I noticed the following sentence.
His downfall was a mistletoe
Now I only know a mistletoe as the plant/Christmas decoration, which does not really help make sense of the sentence.
With a bit of searching around on Thesaurus and Google I couldn't really find any other meaning for the word, beyond what I already describe above.
Which brings me to the question, what does this sentence mean?
Is this some sort of proverb or symbolism?
meaning phrase-meaning
edited 16 hours ago
gmauch
1,99931019
asked 20 hours ago
MX DMX D
21117
New contributor
MX D is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
While listening to the song Death of the God of light, I noticed the following sentence.
His downfall was a mistletoe
Now I only know a mistletoe as the plant/Christmas decoration, which does not really help make sense of the sentence.
With a bit of searching around on Thesaurus and Google I couldn't really find any other meaning for the word, beyond what I already describe above.
Which brings me to the question, what does this sentence mean?
Is this some sort of proverb or symbolism?
meaning phrase-meaning
meaning phrase-meaning
edited 16 hours ago
gmauch
1,99931019
asked 20 hours ago
MX DMX D
21117
New contributor
MX D is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 16 hours ago
gmauch
1,99931019
asked 20 hours ago
MX DMX D
21117
New contributor
MX D is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 16 hours ago
gmauch
1,99931019
edited 16 hours ago
gmauch
1,99931019
edited 16 hours ago
gmauch
1,99931019
1,99931019
asked 20 hours ago
MX DMX D
21117
New contributor
MX D is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 20 hours ago
MX DMX D
21117
asked 20 hours ago
MX DMX D
21117
21117
New contributor
MX D is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
MX D is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
MX D is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
2
A mistletoe was his downfall.
– Jeremy
15 hours ago
add a comment |
2
A mistletoe was his downfall.
– Jeremy
15 hours ago
2
2
A mistletoe was his downfall.
– Jeremy
15 hours ago
A mistletoe was his downfall.
– Jeremy
15 hours ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
The song is about Ragnarok from Norse mythology, so it's that story that you need to research to find the meanings in the lyrics.
The wily and disloyal Loki sensed an opportunity for mischief.
In disguise, he went to Frigg and asked her, “Did all things swear oaths to spare Baldur from harm?” “Oh, yes,” the goddess replied, “everything except the mistletoe. But the mistletoe is so small and innocent a thing that I felt it superfluous to ask it for an oath. What harm could it do to my son?” Immediately upon hearing this, Loki departed, located the mistletoe, carved a spear out of it, and brought it to where the gods were playing their new favorite game.
He approached the blind god Hodr (Old Norse Höðr, “Slayer”) and said, “You must feel quite left out, having to sit back here away from the merriment, not being given a chance to show Baldur the honor of proving his invincibility.” The blind god concurred. “Here,” said Loki, handing him the shaft of mistletoe. “I will point your hand in the direction where Baldur stands, and you throw this branch at him.” So Hod threw the mistletoe. It pierced the god straight through, and he fell down dead on the spot.
I have bolded the important parts here.
(Source - https://norse-mythology.org/tales/the-death-of-baldur/)
answered 20 hours ago
SnowSnow
1,179613
1
Hodr, Hodr, Hodr! (yeah, I know, not very original)
– Carl Witthoft
16 hours ago
4
So it's like a Norse version of the Achilles heel? Or is it supposed to mean like "never trust a woman to do the job properly?"
– Sentinel
15 hours ago
14
@Sentinel Yes, it is the same allegory as the Achilles' Heel. It is not supposed to mean like that second part. I don't even want to know where that sexist inference came from.
– Mindwin
14 hours ago
4
I can recommend Neil Gaiman's telling of the Norse Myths if you want a nice version of the story and many others. (After pausing to listen that track it's back to Amon Amarth for me, as we're on Viking-ish metal)
– Chris H
13 hours ago
5
I also enjoyed the book. The key thing here is that Loki is a trickster - he's a master at finding and exploiting vulnerabilities in people. Much like a modern-day hacker. Sometimes he does this for good, sometimes not, sometimes things don't end up how he expects them to.
– Snow
13 hours ago
|
show 5 more comments
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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active
oldest
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The song is about Ragnarok from Norse mythology, so it's that story that you need to research to find the meanings in the lyrics.
The wily and disloyal Loki sensed an opportunity for mischief.
In disguise, he went to Frigg and asked her, “Did all things swear oaths to spare Baldur from harm?” “Oh, yes,” the goddess replied, “everything except the mistletoe. But the mistletoe is so small and innocent a thing that I felt it superfluous to ask it for an oath. What harm could it do to my son?” Immediately upon hearing this, Loki departed, located the mistletoe, carved a spear out of it, and brought it to where the gods were playing their new favorite game.
He approached the blind god Hodr (Old Norse Höðr, “Slayer”) and said, “You must feel quite left out, having to sit back here away from the merriment, not being given a chance to show Baldur the honor of proving his invincibility.” The blind god concurred. “Here,” said Loki, handing him the shaft of mistletoe. “I will point your hand in the direction where Baldur stands, and you throw this branch at him.” So Hod threw the mistletoe. It pierced the god straight through, and he fell down dead on the spot.
I have bolded the important parts here.
(Source - https://norse-mythology.org/tales/the-death-of-baldur/)
answered 20 hours ago
SnowSnow
1,179613
1
Hodr, Hodr, Hodr! (yeah, I know, not very original)
– Carl Witthoft
16 hours ago
4
So it's like a Norse version of the Achilles heel? Or is it supposed to mean like "never trust a woman to do the job properly?"
– Sentinel
15 hours ago
14
@Sentinel Yes, it is the same allegory as the Achilles' Heel. It is not supposed to mean like that second part. I don't even want to know where that sexist inference came from.
– Mindwin
14 hours ago
4
I can recommend Neil Gaiman's telling of the Norse Myths if you want a nice version of the story and many others. (After pausing to listen that track it's back to Amon Amarth for me, as we're on Viking-ish metal)
– Chris H
13 hours ago
5
I also enjoyed the book. The key thing here is that Loki is a trickster - he's a master at finding and exploiting vulnerabilities in people. Much like a modern-day hacker. Sometimes he does this for good, sometimes not, sometimes things don't end up how he expects them to.
– Snow
13 hours ago
|
show 5 more comments
The song is about Ragnarok from Norse mythology, so it's that story that you need to research to find the meanings in the lyrics.
The wily and disloyal Loki sensed an opportunity for mischief.
In disguise, he went to Frigg and asked her, “Did all things swear oaths to spare Baldur from harm?” “Oh, yes,” the goddess replied, “everything except the mistletoe. But the mistletoe is so small and innocent a thing that I felt it superfluous to ask it for an oath. What harm could it do to my son?” Immediately upon hearing this, Loki departed, located the mistletoe, carved a spear out of it, and brought it to where the gods were playing their new favorite game.
He approached the blind god Hodr (Old Norse Höðr, “Slayer”) and said, “You must feel quite left out, having to sit back here away from the merriment, not being given a chance to show Baldur the honor of proving his invincibility.” The blind god concurred. “Here,” said Loki, handing him the shaft of mistletoe. “I will point your hand in the direction where Baldur stands, and you throw this branch at him.” So Hod threw the mistletoe. It pierced the god straight through, and he fell down dead on the spot.
I have bolded the important parts here.
(Source - https://norse-mythology.org/tales/the-death-of-baldur/)
answered 20 hours ago
SnowSnow
1,179613
1
Hodr, Hodr, Hodr! (yeah, I know, not very original)
– Carl Witthoft
16 hours ago
4
So it's like a Norse version of the Achilles heel? Or is it supposed to mean like "never trust a woman to do the job properly?"
– Sentinel
15 hours ago
14
@Sentinel Yes, it is the same allegory as the Achilles' Heel. It is not supposed to mean like that second part. I don't even want to know where that sexist inference came from.
– Mindwin
14 hours ago
4
I can recommend Neil Gaiman's telling of the Norse Myths if you want a nice version of the story and many others. (After pausing to listen that track it's back to Amon Amarth for me, as we're on Viking-ish metal)
– Chris H
13 hours ago
5
I also enjoyed the book. The key thing here is that Loki is a trickster - he's a master at finding and exploiting vulnerabilities in people. Much like a modern-day hacker. Sometimes he does this for good, sometimes not, sometimes things don't end up how he expects them to.
– Snow
13 hours ago
|
show 5 more comments
The song is about Ragnarok from Norse mythology, so it's that story that you need to research to find the meanings in the lyrics.
The wily and disloyal Loki sensed an opportunity for mischief.
In disguise, he went to Frigg and asked her, “Did all things swear oaths to spare Baldur from harm?” “Oh, yes,” the goddess replied, “everything except the mistletoe. But the mistletoe is so small and innocent a thing that I felt it superfluous to ask it for an oath. What harm could it do to my son?” Immediately upon hearing this, Loki departed, located the mistletoe, carved a spear out of it, and brought it to where the gods were playing their new favorite game.
He approached the blind god Hodr (Old Norse Höðr, “Slayer”) and said, “You must feel quite left out, having to sit back here away from the merriment, not being given a chance to show Baldur the honor of proving his invincibility.” The blind god concurred. “Here,” said Loki, handing him the shaft of mistletoe. “I will point your hand in the direction where Baldur stands, and you throw this branch at him.” So Hod threw the mistletoe. It pierced the god straight through, and he fell down dead on the spot.
I have bolded the important parts here.
(Source - https://norse-mythology.org/tales/the-death-of-baldur/)
answered 20 hours ago
SnowSnow
1,179613
The song is about Ragnarok from Norse mythology, so it's that story that you need to research to find the meanings in the lyrics.
The wily and disloyal Loki sensed an opportunity for mischief.
In disguise, he went to Frigg and asked her, “Did all things swear oaths to spare Baldur from harm?” “Oh, yes,” the goddess replied, “everything except the mistletoe. But the mistletoe is so small and innocent a thing that I felt it superfluous to ask it for an oath. What harm could it do to my son?” Immediately upon hearing this, Loki departed, located the mistletoe, carved a spear out of it, and brought it to where the gods were playing their new favorite game.
He approached the blind god Hodr (Old Norse Höðr, “Slayer”) and said, “You must feel quite left out, having to sit back here away from the merriment, not being given a chance to show Baldur the honor of proving his invincibility.” The blind god concurred. “Here,” said Loki, handing him the shaft of mistletoe. “I will point your hand in the direction where Baldur stands, and you throw this branch at him.” So Hod threw the mistletoe. It pierced the god straight through, and he fell down dead on the spot.
I have bolded the important parts here.
(Source - https://norse-mythology.org/tales/the-death-of-baldur/)
answered 20 hours ago
SnowSnow
1,179613
edited 18 hours ago
answered 20 hours ago
SnowSnow
1,179613
answered 20 hours ago
SnowSnow
1,179613
answered 20 hours ago
SnowSnow
1,179613
1,179613
1
Hodr, Hodr, Hodr! (yeah, I know, not very original)
– Carl Witthoft
16 hours ago
4
So it's like a Norse version of the Achilles heel? Or is it supposed to mean like "never trust a woman to do the job properly?"
– Sentinel
15 hours ago
14
@Sentinel Yes, it is the same allegory as the Achilles' Heel. It is not supposed to mean like that second part. I don't even want to know where that sexist inference came from.
– Mindwin
14 hours ago
4
I can recommend Neil Gaiman's telling of the Norse Myths if you want a nice version of the story and many others. (After pausing to listen that track it's back to Amon Amarth for me, as we're on Viking-ish metal)
– Chris H
13 hours ago
5
I also enjoyed the book. The key thing here is that Loki is a trickster - he's a master at finding and exploiting vulnerabilities in people. Much like a modern-day hacker. Sometimes he does this for good, sometimes not, sometimes things don't end up how he expects them to.
– Snow
13 hours ago
|
show 5 more comments
1
Hodr, Hodr, Hodr! (yeah, I know, not very original)
– Carl Witthoft
16 hours ago
4
So it's like a Norse version of the Achilles heel? Or is it supposed to mean like "never trust a woman to do the job properly?"
– Sentinel
15 hours ago
14
@Sentinel Yes, it is the same allegory as the Achilles' Heel. It is not supposed to mean like that second part. I don't even want to know where that sexist inference came from.
– Mindwin
14 hours ago
4
I can recommend Neil Gaiman's telling of the Norse Myths if you want a nice version of the story and many others. (After pausing to listen that track it's back to Amon Amarth for me, as we're on Viking-ish metal)
– Chris H
13 hours ago
5
I also enjoyed the book. The key thing here is that Loki is a trickster - he's a master at finding and exploiting vulnerabilities in people. Much like a modern-day hacker. Sometimes he does this for good, sometimes not, sometimes things don't end up how he expects them to.
– Snow
13 hours ago
1
1
Hodr, Hodr, Hodr! (yeah, I know, not very original)
– Carl Witthoft
16 hours ago
Hodr, Hodr, Hodr! (yeah, I know, not very original)
– Carl Witthoft
16 hours ago
4
4
So it's like a Norse version of the Achilles heel? Or is it supposed to mean like "never trust a woman to do the job properly?"
– Sentinel
15 hours ago
So it's like a Norse version of the Achilles heel? Or is it supposed to mean like "never trust a woman to do the job properly?"
– Sentinel
15 hours ago
14
14
@Sentinel Yes, it is the same allegory as the Achilles' Heel. It is not supposed to mean like that second part. I don't even want to know where that sexist inference came from.
– Mindwin
14 hours ago
@Sentinel Yes, it is the same allegory as the Achilles' Heel. It is not supposed to mean like that second part. I don't even want to know where that sexist inference came from.
– Mindwin
14 hours ago
4
4
I can recommend Neil Gaiman's telling of the Norse Myths if you want a nice version of the story and many others. (After pausing to listen that track it's back to Amon Amarth for me, as we're on Viking-ish metal)
– Chris H
13 hours ago
I can recommend Neil Gaiman's telling of the Norse Myths if you want a nice version of the story and many others. (After pausing to listen that track it's back to Amon Amarth for me, as we're on Viking-ish metal)
– Chris H
13 hours ago
5
5
I also enjoyed the book. The key thing here is that Loki is a trickster - he's a master at finding and exploiting vulnerabilities in people. Much like a modern-day hacker. Sometimes he does this for good, sometimes not, sometimes things don't end up how he expects them to.
– Snow
13 hours ago
I also enjoyed the book. The key thing here is that Loki is a trickster - he's a master at finding and exploiting vulnerabilities in people. Much like a modern-day hacker. Sometimes he does this for good, sometimes not, sometimes things don't end up how he expects them to.
– Snow
13 hours ago
|
show 5 more comments
MX D is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
MX D is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
MX D is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
MX D is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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2
A mistletoe was his downfall.
– Jeremy
15 hours ago