Why is the story of Odin hanging from Yggdrasil so similar to that of Jesus on the cross?

Question

I hope this actually has an answer, I couldn't find anything but speculation on the web.

Basically, the story of Odin hanging from Yggdrasil is very similar to that of Jesus on the cross. Here are the stories broadly:

In order to learn of the runes that are used to control the worlds odin hangs himself from the great world tree Yggdrasil, and stabs himself with his spear. He forbids the other gods from helping him, and he then hangs there for 9 days, staring into the dark waters below, after which he gains the knowledge he searched for. Doing this was basically him making a sacrifice of himself to himself, a sacrifice that made him worthy to obtain the knowledge he wanted.

Jesus is put on trial by the Romans and sentenced to death. He is put on a cross, on which he claims his father (God) has forsaken him. He dies, which is confirmed by stabbing him with a spear. He descends to hell, but comes back after 3 days, after which he has sacrificed himself (basically to himself in a different person), after which the sins of the world are forgiven.

(Note these may be somewhat loose interpretations and include things added by religions based on the texts instead of being in the original texts)

So the similarities I see: Both are being sacrificed by hanging from something and being stabbed by a spear, are in darkness (hell/the dark waters below) for 3 or 3x3 days, without help from other deities, having now sacrificed themselves to themselves for the greater good.

Now supposedly the Odin story is older, but as far as I'm aware we get it from Snorri Sturluson, who we know has added some christian motives in his other works (the Prose Edda for example).

Are there any reasons to think the Odin story is not based on the Jesus story? And if so, is there any way the Odin story could have affected, or shared an origin with the Jesus story? Or is it just a coincidence?

Answer 1

Taking a look at a few things here.

The word Yggdrasil itself firstly. "Ygg," means Death. "Drasil" is a Nordic term that has the dual meanings of both "gallows" and "horse." So Yggdrasil itself means "Deadly Gallows". A kenning for Odin was Ygg and was listed in the anonymous Skaldic Poem Óðins Nöfn. There are those that speculate that Yggdrasil gets its name from Odin's actions among its branches. It's meaning is quite clear in the context of the myth: "Yggdrasil" is both the gallows upon which Odin hung himself, and the mount that he rode on his journey through the nine worlds.

It should also be noted that many different accounts speak of the "atrocities" of the Northmen and of their human sacrifices to Odin. Human sacrifices happened from prehistoric to well into the 13th century. These sacrifices were hung or strangled. As possible practice of Odinic sacrifice by strangling has some archeological support in the existence of bodies perfectly preserved by the acid of the Jutland peat-bogs. One of the most notable examples of this is the Bronze Age Tollund Man. However, we possess no written accounts that explicitly interpret the cause of these stranglings, which could have other explanations, such as being a form of capital punishment. Also worth mentioning in Gautreks saga(no relation to Snorri), King Vikar is hanged with the words, ‘Now I give you to Odin’.

As @andejons said below I will add this: This depends on the translation/interpretation that you read. Each has a slight variation. The word Ygg/Yggr/Ugg/Uggr are the same word just with different meanings. As a title claimed by Odin Yggr in that context would mean "Terrible One". Ugg/Uggr also meant fear or apprehension.

Here is the excerpt from the Havamal with various translations:

"I ween that I hung | on the windy tree," -Translation by H. A. Bellows

"Wounded I hung on a wind-swept gallows" -Translated by Auden and Taylor

"I trow I hung on that windy Tree" -Translated by Olive Bray

"I know that I hung, on a wind swept tree" -Translated by Chrisholm

"I wot that I hung on the wind-tossed tree" -Translated by Lee Hollander

"I know that I hung on a high windy tree" -Translated by Patricia Terry

"I know that I hung, on a wind-rocked tree," -Translated by Benjamin Thorpe

Just from the variety of these translations alone it's clear we don't have a precise answer. There is also the suggestion that wind-swept gallows/wind-swept tree was a kenning for Yggdrasil. A wind-swept gallows or tree would be dangerous to hang from as there is the risk of bodily harm is higher.

Woo, that was a rollercoaster... lol

Human sacrifice and stuff: Human sacrifices?

Answer 2

It would be hard to know definitively if this was due Christian influence on Odin's narrative b/c we don't have pre-Christian textual sources for Odin's. (i.e. This material was first recorded about 1000 years ago, long after the introduction of Christianity in Europe.) Also, there is evidence of hanging ordeals practiced by Native Americans which suggests that this type of ritual occurs independently.

Archetypes and symbols may provide some insight. The cross, or "crux" is a gateway between worlds for Jesus. Yggdrasil, the "world tree", is quite literally a connector of worlds. The concept is also known as the "axis mundi".

3 is magic number across many cultures, so while that connection suggests Christian influence, it is not a foregone conclusion.

Piercing with the spear, however, is quite specific and not so universal in my estimation, so that might very well be a Christian influence.

With all that said, I don't think there's any way to know for sure.

Answer 3

For consideration. Why limit the comparison to Jesus only?

In the Grimms "Märchen" (Fairy Tale) KHM #146 "The Turnip," the text also ends with a man hanging in a tree in search of knowledge.

Johannes Bolte notes in his Anmerkungen to this text notes that the pretense of the captured one, that he learns hanging on the tree wisdom (Raparius V. 341), [reminds] on the way, upon which Odin becomes aware of secret knowledge. After the Edda (Hovaonl line.138. [In] Gerings translation p. 105 he offers himself, in that he hangs himself on the “weltesche” (world-ash) Yggdrasil and wounds himself with the spear:

I know, that I hung on the wind-moved tree
Nine nights through  - - - 
I thrive I began and thoughts I received.

Bolte also states that one could also consider Aristophanes “Clouds,” where Socrates speculates hanging in a basket.

Strepsiades and Pheidippides are discussing, Socrates is hanging in the air in a basket. Scene from Aristophanes's comedy Clouds. Date: 1564 or earlier. Source From Emblemata et aliquot nummis antiqui operis, cum emendatione et auctario copioso ipsius autoris by Joannes Sambucus, 1564.

http://www.mnemosyne.org/mia/showillu?id=embmne_sam1569_105