Is Odin and Wodan the same God?

[Windigo]

I have noticed that there is a difference between the Norse Odin and the English Wodan. Odin is the war God, who sits on his throne in Valhalla. And governs over men until he dies at the end of the world. While Wodan is a wanderer who walks among men. He is a seeker and a seer. He doesn't die at the end of the days.

Is this Norse image of Odin, as many have said, just a Christian distortion? I like the English Wodan better. Or are they two different Gods? :frosty:

[semi]

I posted the same question here about a month ago and was told "yes, they are the same" by very knowledgeable people.

[LittleRhiannon]

I don't see why he can't be both, a seeker/wanderer and Lord Of Valhalla, I mean.

[Verthandi]

Odin is the Norse/German name and Woden is the Saex name, I believe.

[Mjollnir]

I have noticed that there is a difference between the Norse Odin and the English Wodan. Odin is the war God, who sits on his throne in Valhalla. And governs over men until he dies at the end of the world. While Wodan is a wanderer who walks among men. He is a seeker and a seer. He doesn't die at the end of the days.

Is this Norse image of Odin, as many have said, just a Christian distortion? I like the English Wodan better. Or are they two different Gods? :frosty:


In Norse mythology, he does both, in certain tales it is told he takes human form and walks among men under different names, around 40 I think. The seer part comes from when he hung on Yggdrasil where he sacrificed himself for 9 days and gained immense knowledge as well as I think it was the runes and 18 songs, also drinking from the well guarded by Mimir whereas he gave one of his eyes for a drink from it.I am at "work" so forgive me if I cannot access the proper books now, lol.

Odin is not a xian distortion and Wodan, Woten, Woden are just different older versions of the same deity.Anything else just let me know. :viking:

[WinterBorn]

It happens with most ancient gods and goddess not just this case. I believe exactly what has been spoken here... They are the same. I am not knowledgeable (as I like to be) in the Norse gods but I was taught some and this was one of the things I was taught. I always believe they were the same or a like.

[KellyP]

I think this question has been answered in most of the previous posts. However, if you would like a reference, check out The American Heritage Collegiate Dictionary. It contains an appendix on the Indo-European language roots which can sometimes provide answers to questions like these.

*wot is the common ancestor to Old Norse Odhinn, Old English Woden, and Old High German Wuotan, related to inspiration or spiritually arousing.

Kelly
A nerd with a dictionary...

[mucgwyrt]

Once upon a time there was a god which we shall call Continental "Odin".

In the 5th century the angles and saxons migrated to Britain, bringing Continental "Odin" with them.

Continental "Odin" became known as "Woden" in Britain due to language changes (ie the combination of Angle and Saxon & the development of Old English).

As time went by the British "Woden" developped independently of the Continental "Odin" - Continental "Odin" developped stories such as that of Yggdrasil and the rune staves etc and participated in the Continental Sagas in the c10th, whilst there is no evidence that British-Woden was ever known to.

So, they were the same god, but diverged with the Anglo-Saxon migration to England in 450 and continued to develop independently of oneanother, resulting in slighlty different dieties.

So in short, a bit of 'a' and a bit of 'b' :D

[mucgwyrt]

Odin is the Norse/German name and Woden is the Saex name, I believe.
"seax" just means "blade" in old english as far as I understand it (I assume you were thinking of "seax wicca" which is a load of fluff :nyah: ).

[Verthandi]

"seax" just means "blade" in old english as far as I understand it (I assume you were thinking of "seax wicca" which is a load of fluff :nyah: ).
Maybe I had my facts mixes up, but I though Saex was the language of the Saxons.

[KellyP]

As time went by the British "Woden" developped independently of the Continental "Odin" - Continental "Odin" developped stories such as that of Yggdrasil and the rune staves etc and participated in the Continental Sagas in the c10th, whilst there is no evidence that British-Woden was ever known to.

So, they were the same god, but diverged with the Anglo-Saxon migration to England in 450 and continued to develop independently of oneanother, resulting in slighlty different dieties.
Continental vs. Insular! Excellent commentary.

I must admit that I am most familiar with the Odhinn as presented in the Eddas. What resources do you have for the Woden of the Isles? I would be very interested in expanding my background to include more info regarding the Anglo-Saxon views of the Germanic gods.

Kelly
May your library be forever full.

[mucgwyrt]

Continental vs. Insular! Excellent commentary.

I must admit that I am most familiar with the Odhinn as presented in the Eddas. What resources do you have for the Woden of the Isles? I would be very interested in expanding my background to include more info regarding the Anglo-Saxon views of the Germanic gods.

Kelly
May your library be forever full.
Why thankyou *bow*

I must admit I haven't done much reading around the gods thus far, as they aren't the focus of my interest. I'm lead to believe though, that there's very little information available on them. By the time the anglo-saxons took to writing their magic down it had been lightly christianised, and although you can look through their various charms and conclude which elements were (blatantly) pagan and which dieties present were of pagan origin, it's impossible to tell exactly *which* ones they were :(

There are also a list of dieties which we know -nothing- about, for example Hretha (patron goddess of March, to whom sacrifices were made) and Eostre (patron goddess of April, of which there is no evidence she was -ever- symbolised by fluffy bunnies and easter eggs), and also lists of dieties which existed on the continent at later dates which there is little/no evidence of having existed in the uk (e.g. Balder & Sunna).

So anyway </ramble> in short I really dont know, and will at some point look into it :D
I loooove to talk about the anglo-saxons though, so pm me whenever you feel like it _wiz_

[Hangatyr 13]

I'd say that Odin, Woden, Wotan, and Wodenaz are all just different names in different languages for the same god. Odin may have had different names and was worshiped differently by different people, but the same holds true today. National Socialist Heathens worship him differently than Folkish Asatruar, who worship him differently than Non-Folkish Asatruar, who worship him differently than Heithinns, who worship him differently than Norse Wiccans, who worship him differently than ecclectic Satanist/Heathens, and individuals all have different ways of looking at deities in general. I generally call him "Odin" and call him by different kennings in my workings for certain aspects like Hangatyr (The Hanging God), Bolverk (Evil-Doer), and Valfather (Corpse-Father). Odin has many knowings.