We’re Talking VIKINGS: The Deceased
Today is #FaveDeadViking Friday! So we’re going to look at two of the dead characters who left their marks on us.
First: ATHELSTAN
Okay, so he’s my favorite. I’ve studied the monks and written of the Viking raids on the monasteries and was all kinds of sympathetic to Athelstan from the moment I learned of his existence.
Courtesy of vikingsinuppsala on Tumblr
As soon as we were introduced to the “Tiny Viking,” fans all over the world fell in love with Athelstan, and with the “bromance” that grew between him Ragnar.
When we met, he was an Englishman who could speak the language of the Northmen, thus making himself valuable to Ragnar immediately. He was then enslaved and taken far from his home monastery in Lindesfarne to serve the Lo∂brok family.
Courtesy of vikingsinuppsala on Tumblr
Unexpectedly, he and Ragnar hit up a solid friendship that weathered many situations over several years.
Courtesy of canislupusalces on Tumblr
Ragnar sought to keep his friend safe, relied upon his council in dealing with British rulers, and declared him a free man, able to wear the arm ring of manhood.
Courtesy of andias1 on Tumblr
He also fathered a child with Princess Judith, married to the son of King Ecbert. Young Alfred is destined to do some great things.
Courtesy of yocalio on Tumbr
Athelstan also had a long-running antipathy in regards his relationship to Floki, the genius shipbuilder of Kattegat.
Courtesy of mametupa on Tumblr
Floki sought to undermine Athelstan at different times, eventually determining that his gods wanted the former monk dead.
Courtesy of historyvikings on Tumblr
So Floki made it happen. And people all over the world mourned. Truly.
I wish George Blagden, who played Athelstan, all the best. He is apparently a fine actor and a great guy and he certainly brought a quiet, fearful monk to the transformation into a warrior and martyr in a short period of time.
•ღ•
Second: TORSTEIN
Played by Jefferson Hall, Torstein was a man with a sense of humor that was equaled by his loyalty to Ragnar. He caught our eye, anyway, when he got two different ladies pregnant before he went off to what would be his last battle.
Courtesy of fvckminacx on Tumblr
When his arm was so grievously wounded that it required amputation, he jested about it with Rollo as it happened, and still insisted upon meeting his death upon his feet.
Courtesy of rollo.co.vu on Tumblr
He volunteered to meet the enemy first, shield in hand, so that he could go to Valhalla with the warriors of renown.
Courtesy of lecterlannister on Tumblr
He certainly earned it.
.¸¸•.¸¸.•´¯`• (¯`•ღ•´¯)•´¯`•.¸¸.•.¸¸.
What are your thoughts? Join Lissa Bryan and me, Sandi, tonight as we chat at 8PM EST on Twitter about Athelstan and Torstein and reminisce. Use the hashtag #FaveDeadVikings to join in the fun!
(All images from Vikings are the property of the History Channel. I use them only for illustrations regarding their show.)
Filed under: Discussion, History Tagged: Athelstan, History Channel, Lissa Bryan, Torstein, Vikings
