Hel - Norse Queen of the Underworld

Illustration

Celina Bebenek
by Tara Ryzebol
published on 06 September 2021
Hel - Norse Queen of the Underworld Download Full Size Image

Hel, the Norse Queen of the Underworld, as portrayed by the Australia-based artist Tara Ryzebol in 2006. Hel was a female character in Norse mythology who ruled the realm of the dead of the same name. Her kingdom was said to be a gloomy and dark place located in a land called Niflheim. Hel was the daughter of the trickster Loki and the giantess Angrboda. As such, she was not recognised as a proper goddess but rather a jötunn. She is usually portrayed as an intimidating figure. None, even a god, can escape her realm.

The image portrays Hel as half skeleton, half human. Other sources depict her as being half flesh-coloured and half blue. This represents her dual nature as existing between life and death.

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Cite This Work

APA Style

Ryzebol, T. (2021, September 06). Hel - Norse Queen of the Underworld. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14582/hel---norse-queen-of-the-underworld/

Chicago Style

Ryzebol, Tara. "Hel - Norse Queen of the Underworld." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified September 06, 2021. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14582/hel---norse-queen-of-the-underworld/.

MLA Style

Ryzebol, Tara. "Hel - Norse Queen of the Underworld." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 06 Sep 2021. Web. 07 Dec 2024.

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