Who is Hoder?
Guide in the Darkness
by Shannon Graves
The Aesir god Hoder, also spelled Hod or Hoðr, is one of the many sons of Odin. Little is known about him except that he is so often linked in a brother-pair with Baldur the beautiful, both as dark twin and as slayer. What is known about Hoder is that he is blind – some sources say from birth, others speak of him losing his sight in battle. Either way, he was chosen by Loki to be the deliverer of his brother Baldur’s death-blow. When the other Gods were making a game of throwing things at the invincible Baldur, Loki saw Hoder standing apart, unable to play. He asked the blind man if he would like to participate, and offered to aim his hand. Hoder innocently agreed, and Loki gave him the fatal mistletoe dart, aimed it, and then fled the scene, leaving Hoder with his brother’s blood on his hands.
Clearly the other Aesir Gods are wrathful, but they do not slay Hoder. It is probably quickly clear who the real murderer is, and they are reluctant to slay a duped victim, perhaps because they know him and he is a brother to them. However, Odin sires a magical son on the giantess Rind – some stories say by rape – who appears full-grown and slays Hoder, avenging Baldur’s death. Hoder follows his brother and sister-in-law down to Helheim, where it is said that he will follow them back out after Ragnarok, should it occur.
While Hoder is known as another son of Odin, it is not clear who his
mother may be, although most people assume that it is Frigg. Some put Baldur
and Hoder as twins, light and dark; the Indo-European people were very fond of
twin deities, so this is not impossible – see Frey and Freya. If this is the
case, then Frigg lost both her children within a few days, and is the mourning
mother indeed. The name of Hoder appears in some random kennings for “warrior”,
which suggests to some people that there was a broader story that has been lost
regarding Baldur’s dark twin. However, in the works of Saxo Grammaticus, Baldur
and Hoder are both mortal princes who vie for the hand of the princess Nanna.
Hoder is the good guy in this story; even when Odin and Thor come down on the
side of Baldur, he manages to defeat them anyway, and slays Baldur in battle.
Today, some of those who honour Hoder the betrayed god see him as a dark/winter opposite to Baldur’s light/summer nature, similar to the Celtic Oak and Holly Kings who trade places throughout the year. However, it is generally agreed that both Baldur and Hoder are dead, and live in Helheim as honoured guests. Others who honour and work with Hoder see him as a patron of the blind, of those who have been betrayed, and those who are in a dark place and cannot see their way out, but must feel that way slowly. He can be a gentle guide for those who are lost in darkness, and especially depression. He does not alleviate depression so much, unlike his brother, but he helps people to survive while suffering from it. He can be called upon to help people in any of these predicaments.
To make Hoder an offering, do something positive and useful for someone who is blind, or you can make a donation to the National Federation for the Blind.
Artwork by Thorskegga Thorn.