Hel
Among the rulers of the Nine Worlds, few are as misunderstood as Hel, the daughter of Loki and the giantess Angrboða.
In later stories and popular culture, Hel is often portrayed as a goddess of evil or a bringer of death. The medieval Norse sources, however, paint a very different picture.
Hel does not cause death.
She rules over those who have already died.
When Odin learned of the prophecy surrounding Loki’s children, he feared the role each would play in the world’s future. While Fenrir remained among the gods and Jörmungandr was cast into the sea, Hel was sent to one of the Nine Worlds, where she became ruler of the realm that would forever bear her name.
There she received those who died from illness, old age, or other natural causes, governing the dead with quiet authority rather than cruelty.
Her story is less about punishment than about one of the unavoidable realities of life.
Every living person must eventually face death.
The Daughter of Loki
Hel was one of the three children born to Loki and Angrboða.
Her brothers, Fenrir and Jörmungandr, became symbols of destruction and the coming of Ragnarök.
Hel’s destiny was different.
According to the Prose Edda, Odin cast her into the cold world of Helheim, granting her authority over all who came to her realm.
Rather than imprisoning her, he made her its ruler.
From that moment onward, Hel became responsible for receiving countless souls, presiding over one of the largest and most important realms in the Norse cosmos.
Unlike many rulers in mythology, she is rarely described as seeking power or conquest.
Her role is one of governance.
She oversees the inevitable destination of those who do not fall gloriously in battle.
A Ruler, Not a Villain
One of the greatest misconceptions about Hel is that she is the Norse equivalent of the Devil.
The surviving sources do not support this idea.
Hel does not tempt people into wrongdoing.
She does not judge souls according to moral virtue, nor does she punish ordinary people for their actions.
Instead, she rules a kingdom.
Those who die from sickness, old age, accidents, or other non-violent causes simply arrive in her realm.
For the Vikings, this was neither unusual nor shameful.
While warriors hoped to reach Valhalla or Fólkvangr, most people expected that death would lead them to Hel’s domain.
Her realm was therefore not imagined as a place reserved for the wicked.
It was simply where most of humanity would eventually go.
This distinction is one of the most important aspects of understanding Hel in the context of Norse mythology.
The Realm of Helheim
The land ruled by Hel is known as Helheim, one of the Nine Worlds connected by Yggdrasil.
The medieval sources describe it as lying far to the north and below the roots of the World Tree, a place reached only after a long and difficult journey.
The road to Helheim passes over the river Gjöll, crossed by the bridge Gjallarbrú, which is guarded by the maiden Móðguðr. Beyond the bridge stand towering gates and high walls surrounding Hel’s kingdom.
At the centre of her realm is a great hall called Éljúðnir.
The Prose Edda gives the hall a series of symbolic names. Its threshold is called Falling-to-Peril, its bed is Sickbed, and its curtains are Gleaming Misfortune. These names reflect the reality of mortality rather than suggesting that Hel delights in suffering.
To the medieval Norse imagination, Helheim was not a place of fire and eternal torment.
It was quiet.
Cold.
A realm of stillness where the dead continued to exist after life had ended.
Hel and Baldr
Hel plays one of her most important roles in the story of Baldr, the beloved son of Odin and Frigg.
After Baldr is killed through Loki’s deception, his soul travels to Helheim.
Refusing to accept his son’s death, Odin sends the god Hermóðr on a desperate journey to Hel’s kingdom in the hope of bringing Baldr home.
Riding Sleipnir, Hermóðr crosses the dark valleys of the underworld and arrives before Hel’s throne.
There, Hel receives him with dignity and listens to his request.
She does not immediately refuse.
Instead, she sets a condition.
If every living thing in the world truly mourns Baldr, she says, then he may return to the land of the living.
The gods believe the task is possible.
Messengers travel throughout the Nine Worlds, asking every creature to weep for Baldr.
Almost everything does.
Trees, stones, animals, and people all mourn the fallen god.
Only one figure refuses.
A giantess named Þökk, who is widely understood to be Loki in disguise, declares that she will shed no tears.
Because of that single refusal, Baldr must remain in Helheim until Ragnarök.
The episode is striking because Hel honours the condition she herself established. She is not portrayed as cruel or deceitful. Instead, she acts according to the rules she has set, reinforcing her role as a ruler rather than a villain.
How Hel Is Described
The medieval sources give Hel an appearance unlike that of any other figure in Norse mythology.
According to the Prose Edda, one half of her body appears healthy and living, while the other is dark, lifeless, and corpse-like.
This unusual description has inspired artists for centuries, but its meaning is never fully explained in the surviving texts.
Many scholars see her appearance as reflecting the boundary she governs.
She stands between life and death.
Neither fully alive nor entirely dead, Hel embodies the transition that every person must eventually face.
Rather than representing horror for its own sake, her appearance reminds readers that life and death are inseparable parts of the same cycle.
Like much of Norse mythology, the symbolism is left open for interpretation, allowing the stories to remain mysterious rather than offering simple answers.
Hel at Ragnarök
Unlike her brothers Fenrir and Jörmungandr, Hel does not take part in a great duel during Ragnarök.
Her role is quieter but no less significant.
When the final battle begins, the dead who dwell within her realm are said to march from Helheim. In the Prose Edda, Loki is described as leading the ship Naglfar, carrying the forces of chaos toward the battlefield, accompanied by those who have come from Hel’s domain.
The ancient sources do not describe Hel herself fighting alongside them.
Instead, she remains the ruler of the realm of the dead while the world above is consumed by fire, flood, and war.
This distinction is important.
Many modern retellings place Hel at the centre of the battle or portray her as commanding armies against the gods. The medieval sources are far more restrained.
They emphasise her authority over the dead rather than depicting her as a warrior.
Even at the end of the world, Hel remains what she has always been—a ruler carrying out the responsibilities entrusted to her.
A Symbol of Death, Not Evil
Hel occupies a unique place in Norse mythology.
She reminds us that death is not presented as a punishment but as a natural part of existence.
For most people living during the Viking Age, reaching Helheim was the expected end of life. Only a small number of the dead were believed to go to Valhalla or Fólkvangr.
This makes Hel one of the most important figures in the Norse cosmos.
She governs the destination of ordinary men and women rather than legendary heroes alone.
Modern ideas about the afterlife have often influenced how Hel is portrayed, leading many to compare her realm with the Christian concept of Hell.
The two, however, are fundamentally different.
Helheim is not a place of eternal punishment for sinners, and Hel herself is not a figure of absolute evil.
She is a queen.
A guardian of the dead.
A reminder that every life, whether humble or heroic, eventually reaches the same threshold.
In that sense, Hel represents one of the most universal themes in mythology.
Death comes to all, and it is not something to be feared because it is part of the natural order of the world.
Her story encourages us to understand death not as the opposite of life, but as one stage in the endless cycle that shapes the Nine Worlds.
What the Ancient Sources Say
Hel is described primarily in the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda, where she appears as one of the three children of Loki and Angrboða.
In Gylfaginning, Snorri Sturluson recounts how Odin, fearing the prophecy surrounding Loki’s children, sent Hel to rule over the realm of the dead. There she was given authority over all who died from illness, old age, or other causes apart from battle.
The same work describes Hel’s appearance, her hall Éljúðnir, and the journey made by Hermóðr to plead for Baldr’s return. Rather than refusing outright, Hel agrees to release Baldr if every living thing mourns him—a condition that ultimately fails when Þökk refuses to weep.
The Poetic Edda offers fewer details about Hel herself but confirms her realm as the destination of many of the dead and connects it to the wider events leading to Ragnarök.
Taken together, the medieval sources portray Hel not as a goddess of evil but as the lawful ruler of one of the Nine Worlds, entrusted with governing the dead according to the ancient order of the cosmos.
The Daughter of Loki
Hel was one of the three children born to Loki and Angrboða.
Her brothers, Fenrir and Jörmungandr, became symbols of destruction and the coming of Ragnarök.
Hel’s destiny was different.
According to the Prose Edda, Odin cast her into the cold world of Helheim, granting her authority over all who came to her realm.
Rather than imprisoning her, he made her its ruler.
From that moment onward, Hel became responsible for receiving countless souls, presiding over one of the largest and most important realms in the Norse cosmos.
Unlike many rulers in mythology, she is rarely described as seeking power or conquest.
Her role is one of governance.
She oversees the inevitable destination of those who do not fall gloriously in battle.
A Ruler, Not a Villain
One of the greatest misconceptions about Hel is that she is the Norse equivalent of the Devil.
The surviving sources do not support this idea.
Hel does not tempt people into wrongdoing.
She does not judge souls according to moral virtue, nor does she punish ordinary people for their actions.
Instead, she rules a kingdom.
Those who die from sickness, old age, accidents, or other non-violent causes simply arrive in her realm.
For the Vikings, this was neither unusual nor shameful.
While warriors hoped to reach Valhalla or Fólkvangr, most people expected that death would lead them to Hel’s domain.
Her realm was therefore not imagined as a place reserved for the wicked.
It was simply where most of humanity would eventually go.
This distinction is one of the most important aspects of understanding Hel in the context of Norse mythology.
The Realm of Helheim
The land ruled by Hel is known as Helheim, one of the Nine Worlds connected by Yggdrasil.
The medieval sources describe it as lying far to the north and below the roots of the World Tree, a place reached only after a long and difficult journey.
The road to Helheim passes over the river Gjöll, crossed by the bridge Gjallarbrú, which is guarded by the maiden Móðguðr. Beyond the bridge stand towering gates and high walls surrounding Hel’s kingdom.
At the centre of her realm is a great hall called Éljúðnir.
The Prose Edda gives the hall a series of symbolic names. Its threshold is called Falling-to-Peril, its bed is Sickbed, and its curtains are Gleaming Misfortune. These names reflect the reality of mortality rather than suggesting that Hel delights in suffering.
To the medieval Norse imagination, Helheim was not a place of fire and eternal torment.
It was quiet.
Cold.
A realm of stillness where the dead continued to exist after life had ended.
Hel and Baldr
Hel plays one of her most important roles in the story of Baldr, the beloved son of Odin and Frigg.
After Baldr is killed through Loki’s deception, his soul travels to Helheim.
Refusing to accept his son’s death, Odin sends the god Hermóðr on a desperate journey to Hel’s kingdom in the hope of bringing Baldr home.
Riding Sleipnir, Hermóðr crosses the dark valleys of the underworld and arrives before Hel’s throne.
There, Hel receives him with dignity and listens to his request.
She does not immediately refuse.
Instead, she sets a condition.
If every living thing in the world truly mourns Baldr, she says, then he may return to the land of the living.
The gods believe the task is possible.
Messengers travel throughout the Nine Worlds, asking every creature to weep for Baldr.
Almost everything does.
Trees, stones, animals, and people all mourn the fallen god.
Only one figure refuses.
A giantess named Þökk, who is widely understood to be Loki in disguise, declares that she will shed no tears.
Because of that single refusal, Baldr must remain in Helheim until Ragnarök.
The episode is striking because Hel honours the condition she herself established. She is not portrayed as cruel or deceitful. Instead, she acts according to the rules she has set, reinforcing her role as a ruler rather than a villain.
How Hel Is Described
The medieval sources give Hel an appearance unlike that of any other figure in Norse mythology.
According to the Prose Edda, one half of her body appears healthy and living, while the other is dark, lifeless, and corpse-like.
This unusual description has inspired artists for centuries, but its meaning is never fully explained in the surviving texts.
Many scholars see her appearance as reflecting the boundary she governs.
She stands between life and death.
Neither fully alive nor entirely dead, Hel embodies the transition that every person must eventually face.
Rather than representing horror for its own sake, her appearance reminds readers that life and death are inseparable parts of the same cycle.
Like much of Norse mythology, the symbolism is left open for interpretation, allowing the stories to remain mysterious rather than offering simple answers.
Hel at Ragnarök
Unlike her brothers Fenrir and Jörmungandr, Hel does not take part in a great duel during Ragnarök.
Her role is quieter but no less significant.
When the final battle begins, the dead who dwell within her realm are said to march from Helheim. In the Prose Edda, Loki is described as leading the ship Naglfar, carrying the forces of chaos toward the battlefield, accompanied by those who have come from Hel’s domain.
The ancient sources do not describe Hel herself fighting alongside them.
Instead, she remains the ruler of the realm of the dead while the world above is consumed by fire, flood, and war.
This distinction is important.
Many modern retellings place Hel at the centre of the battle or portray her as commanding armies against the gods. The medieval sources are far more restrained.
They emphasise her authority over the dead rather than depicting her as a warrior.
Even at the end of the world, Hel remains what she has always been—a ruler carrying out the responsibilities entrusted to her.
A Symbol of Death, Not Evil
Hel occupies a unique place in Norse mythology.
She reminds us that death is not presented as a punishment but as a natural part of existence.
For most people living during the Viking Age, reaching Helheim was the expected end of life. Only a small number of the dead were believed to go to Valhalla or Fólkvangr.
This makes Hel one of the most important figures in the Norse cosmos.
She governs the destination of ordinary men and women rather than legendary heroes alone.
Modern ideas about the afterlife have often influenced how Hel is portrayed, leading many to compare her realm with the Christian concept of Hell.
The two, however, are fundamentally different.
Helheim is not a place of eternal punishment for sinners, and Hel herself is not a figure of absolute evil.
She is a queen.
A guardian of the dead.
A reminder that every life, whether humble or heroic, eventually reaches the same threshold.
In that sense, Hel represents one of the most universal themes in mythology.
Death comes to all, and it is not something to be feared because it is part of the natural order of the world.
Her story encourages us to understand death not as the opposite of life, but as one stage in the endless cycle that shapes the Nine Worlds.
What the Ancient Sources Say
Hel is described primarily in the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda, where she appears as one of the three children of Loki and Angrboða.
In Gylfaginning, Snorri Sturluson recounts how Odin, fearing the prophecy surrounding Loki’s children, sent Hel to rule over the realm of the dead. There she was given authority over all who died from illness, old age, or other causes apart from battle.
The same work describes Hel’s appearance, her hall Éljúðnir, and the journey made by Hermóðr to plead for Baldr’s return. Rather than refusing outright, Hel agrees to release Baldr if every living thing mourns him—a condition that ultimately fails when Þökk refuses to weep.
The Poetic Edda offers fewer details about Hel herself but confirms her realm as the destination of many of the dead and connects it to the wider events leading to Ragnarök.
Taken together, the medieval sources portray Hel not as a goddess of evil but as the lawful ruler of one of the Nine Worlds, entrusted with governing the dead according to the ancient order of the cosmos.
Explore Next
If you’d like to continue exploring, these stories will take you deeper into the Norse world:
- Loki – Meet the father of Hel and the trickster whose actions changed the fate of the gods.
- The Children of Loki – Discover the remarkable family that shaped the future of the Nine Worlds.
- Baldr – Learn how the death of the beloved god brought Hermóðr to Hel’s hall.
- Hermóðr – Follow Odin’s son on his journey to the realm of the dead.
- Helheim – Explore the quiet world ruled by Hel beneath the roots of Yggdrasil.
- Valhalla – Discover the great hall where fallen warriors prepare for Ragnarök.
- Ragnarök – Witness the final events that reshape the Norse cosmos.
Sources & Further Reading
Primary Sources
- The Poetic Edda, translated by Carolyne Larrington (Oxford World’s Classics)
- The Prose Edda, translated by Anthony Faulkes (Everyman)
- Snorri Sturluson, Gylfaginning
- Völuspá (The Prophecy of the Seeress)
Further Reading
- John Lindow – Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs
- Rudolf Simek – Dictionary of Northern Mythology
- H.R. Ellis Davidson – Gods and Myths of Northern Europe
- Neil Price – Children of Ash and Elm
- Andy Orchard – Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend