#Týrdeity

[wolf-of-tyr]

What are some of your favorite songs/art pieces/stories that you associate with Tyr?📚🎶

Also how do you feel about the idea that he was once the principal Norse deity/sky god?🌤

Sorry for the delay, this took a bit and I'm easily distracted 😅

Favorite songs!:

-"Tyr" by Wardruna

-"Tyr" by Danheim

-"Don't Lose Your Heart" by Dream on Dreamer

-"Throne" by Bring Me the Horizon (this isn't one that I associate with him as a deity; it's closer to a tool a therapist would use to help a patient, with Tyr as the therapist in this analogy)

Those are the specific ones. He seems to enjoy anything by the first 2 artists, and in general I like he has a pretty broad taste in music.

Art!:

Check out my #ledestjerna tag, and my Tyr Aesthetic board on Pinterest! The board has things related to my relationship with him mixed in as well

Stories!:

I honestly love every story of him that I can get my hands on, but the myth of how he shows up at his dad Hymir's place, lies about Thor's name, and steals Hymir's cauldron, takes the cake. It will forever be hilarious to me.

How do I feel about Tyr having once been the principal Norse deity?:

Aaaaalllll kinds of feels. I. wish I had a time machine so I could see what a Tyr-headed pantheon looked like back when it was a thing. I kind of wish it still was, just because it makes more sense to me. I always got the feeling he stepped down willingly, too, not like he had a mutiny on his hands. And a whole lot more that I honestly just don't know how to put into words.

[tyrsbeast-blog]

Týr being smart

@wolf-of-tyr mentioned that she saw Tyr described as "unintelligent" and my blood boiled over for a short second. 

But I can see why someone might think that. If you define intelligence through cunning and deceit. No, not even that, the specific deceit of a bullshitter. Tyr is not a conman. In a pantheon where Odin, the great trickster, is chieftain and Loki is, at least on tumblr, widely worshipped. 

Týr is a law maker and a war strategic. Both requires intelligence. 

But in the Norse pantheon other gods are known for being cunning, hella smart and full of tricks.

Imho his defining character trait is his integrity. In old times one would have called it honour, today integrity is the fitting term. 

Just because he chooses honesty and integrity and fairness over deceit, doesn't mean he is not highly intelligent. I'd even argue that staying on top when you choose this way requires intelligence. 

If the Norse were a lawyers TV show, Týr would be the judge who sees through the deceit of the other roles. 

[seth-sieben]

(Sorry for what’s to follow, but it’s 5am, I’m exhausted but can’t sleep, my head hurts and I’ve been reading some mythology for the past 3hrs from an author I really like the work, BUT whom descriptions of Loki make me sick.)

I’m really having more and more troubles reading stuff related to Týr and Fenrir… I feel bad every time. Sooner, when I read the Ragnarök’s part where Fenrir kills both Týr and Odin, I almost cried… just because?? (Just so you know, I’m not one to cry easily, especially while reading.)

That’s kinda strange but… the more I get close to Týr, the more I feel like when I read about Fenrir, it’s kind of… through his feelings. And I feel like he really blames himself for his betrayal of Fenrir. And I have to admit, I personally blame a bit Odin for that. Because he made a terrible mistake of a good idea. (Hey, let’s raise Fenrir among us so he’ll like us and won’t want to kill me as I’ve seen… -eeeer well, he’s getting real tall now. Never mind, just chain him.)

And that’s one of the reasons I’m pissed every time someone demonizes Loki and Fenrir, for example, especially when Loki is accused of having betrayed the gods. Because, fuck??? Yeah he wasn’t always a saint (er, bad word) himself, can’t argue that. But fuck, the Aesir too were everything EXCEPT sweeties about him and his kin! He’s got more than enough reasons to fight against them during Ragnarök.

[biestcallisto]

What I really like about god of war, besides Jörmungandr, is how they clearly love Tyr. 

[tyrsbeast-blog]

Týr for Beginners

So you think you had an experience with Týr and want to know more because until recently you practically knew nothing about norse mythology itself, just media interpretations like Marvel? okay. Let’s begin with a few words you encounter when you look into Norse paganism.

- UPG = Unverified Personal Gnosis. If you are familiar with fandom terminology it's basically the equivalent of "head canon". You believe it to be true but can't prove it with the sagas. It's common courtesy to mark interpretations based on personal experience as UPG. 

- Kenning = wiki says it's a form of Circumlocution. Basically it's using more words to describe something else and it's widely used in Norse poetry. I. E. "A wave's horse" means a ship. Wiki has even a list 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_kennings

- in the pantheon Odin, Thor, Freya, Frigg are the "big names". 

Now to Týr.

The key to understanding Týr is imho the one tale we have about Týr and that's the binding of Fenris.

I suggest reading it and trying to find your own interpretation. Afterwards research the things you are interested in, i. e. What wolves stood for, what oathes meant, the meaning of the swordhand etc. and then read it again.

Here is one version: http://web.mit.edu/norvin/www/somethingelse/fenris.html

My own interpretation of the story constantly evolves and I don't want to give my interpretation just yet, because imho it's important that you make up your own mind about it. So that's for another post. It may be best to read it, before continuing with this post.

His names: Týr, Tyr, Tīw, Teiwz, Ziu and Tīwaz, some believe the continental Saxons worshipped him as their main god by the name Saxnot. 

Family: prose Edda says Odin is his father, in poetic Edda It's Hymir (In the Hymiskviđa). 

The word Týr probably originally just meant "god", it's derived from the same root as "Dio". Partly because of this, it's a popular opinion that Týr was, at least in continental Europe/ Germany, the main god of the pantheon originally, before Odin took over.

I don't remember where the information comes from, but Týr is also a god of the sky.

EDIT, QUOTING @trache-lord

Etymologists believe Tyr descends, as a word, from the Proto-Indo European deity *Dyḗus Pḥatḗr, whose name literally means “Sky Father”. He was supposedly the supreme god and deity of the day lit sky. This is also why some folks think Tyr might have been the chief god in the Norse pantheon before Odin.

END OF QUOTE

Tuesday is his day.

There is some evidence that he was worshipped mainly in Augsburg and that there a goddess by the name Zisa was his consort. This is because of some manuscripts from Augsburg from, iirc, the 14th century. German scholars however disregard this as made up information from the 14th century. If Zisa has been the patron of Augsburg as Týrs wife, we do not know much more about her.

Týr was regarded as the patron of the Thing. In short a thing /ˈθɪŋ/ was the governing assembly of a northern Germanic society, made up of the free people of the community presided over by lawspeakers. Read the wiki about the thing for starters: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thing_(assembly)

That's what made Týr the god of law. 

He is also a war god. It is said that warriors preferred calling up to Týr and carving his rune into their swords, because Odin didn't always grant victory to the deserving party. 

Ah, the runes. Yes, Týr has his own rune, often referred to as Tiwaz.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiwaz_rune 

Research this rune some more, before using it though. That's in general a good idea with runes. Wiki is not enough.

And here is good post that includes additional information and personal interpretation about Týr and  the binding of Fenrir. 

http://www.northernpaganism.org/shrines/fenrir/writing/the-mystery-of-fenris-and-tyr.html

Too many the relationship between Týr and Fenrir is important in understanding Týr. That's probably because of the main story we have, the binding of Fenrir. 

My personal 2 cents: for me Týr is a veteran general who may have given the reins to someone younger (Odin). He can feel distant but loving. He is the order controlling the chaos, able to use the rage in battle in a controlled way (unlike Odin, the god of berserkers).

He can be elusive in the sagas, mentioned only here and there outside the binding of Fenrir, there is much more to say, some UPG, some doubted by mundane scholars (like Zisa), scattered in pieces in various books and webpages.  In my opinion he values honesty and honour and doing what must be done, even if that requires sacrifices and if you don't want to do it. He is objective and courageous. If you need courage, he is the one for you. If you love justice, he is the one for you. Justice requires courage. For some he represents control and self control, the ability to control your dark urges, your rage.

I, too, had problems with rage, though I didn't attest my conquering of these emotions to Týr at the time. But I thank him for the courage I found in me. And in a way I transformed the rage into a calmer courage. Týr is imho more the battle strategist then the one striking at the enemy with vigor. 

I hope I am not too rambling and this helps someone with pointers about what to research and starting points for your own thoughts. I may share some more personal insights/UPG at a later date, if asked to.

[tyrsbeast-blog]

Sky god Týr

Why? I have read the association multiple times and feel the same and in a way his rune points to the sky.

But why? What indicated to scholars that he is a sky god? It can't simply be because Tyr as a noun means "god". Like, I read this bit over and over again, mostly after the author explained the meaning of the name but it's never explained why he is a sky god. 

I mean, I feel it's true. But where does it come from? 

[tyrsbeast-blog]

If anyone is interested I may compile a beginner's post about Týr. Though I believe I shared some of my views before. I probably should check my Týr and Týrdeity tag...