Sunday, February 3, 2008

Eric the Red: Led Zeppelin- Immigrant Song

For my hero, I picked Eric the Red, a famous Viking explorer of the tenth century. According to Viking tradition, his original name was Erik Thorvaldson, after his father Thorvald Asvaldson. Although it has not been confirmed why he was known as Erik the Red, all sources agree that his "cognomen" most likely related to his hair color. Although he was born in Norway, Erik's family was banished to Iceland, a Viking colony for- According to The Saga of Eirik the Red- several murders which his father committed. Then, while in Iceland, he was again banished for murdering Thorgest, a friend who wouldn't return a shovel that Erik lent him. Due to his rashness. Later, he killed Valthjof, who murdered several of his own slaves for causing a landslide. He was banished and sailed to Greenland, becoming known as its founder. He returned to Iceland after his exile and convinced a large group of peasants-by marketing the island as "Green" land- to go back with him and start a colony. For this, Erik the Red gained credit for discovering and colonizing Greenland. I was inspired to talk about this mortal character because of the way he dealt justice, and for his hair color. His hair color was probably unique, and might have also received the name for the common belief that red-heads are easily angered and rash, like the red-haired warlord, Menelaus.
I picked Immigrant Song, by the famous classic rock band Led Zeppelin, to relate to Erik the Red. Based on the lyrics, Robert Plant must have purposely based the song off of Viking invaders due to his multiple allusions to Norse Mythology. "Will drive our ships to new lands, to fight the horde, singing crying: Valhalla I am coming" relates to Erik the Red's discovery of Greenland by ship, and his son's, Lief Erikson's, discovery of America. Valhalla is the closest relation to a Viking form of heaven. Also, the song talks about the hammer of the gods, Mjolnir, which was Thor's lightning hammer.