Bulfinch’s Mythology · Chapter
Runic Letters explained
This chapter describes the Runic letters found on stones in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, their straight-line forms, their use in divination and magic, and their later use for inscriptions in the Norse language.
What happens
This chapter describes the Runic letters found on stones in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, their straight-line forms, their use in divination and magic, and their later use for inscriptions in the Norse language. It also references Gray's ode on the Descent of Odin.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This excerpt marks the dramatic climax because it presents the emotional peak of Tristram’s brief reunion with…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Cultural Transmission and Education
The chapter discusses the transmission of Runic writing and its evolution from magical use to historical inscriptions, reflecting the preservation of cultural knowledge.
Characters to notice
- Odin
Referenced in Gray's ode on the Descent of Odin, which describes the use of Runic letters for incantation.
Key passages
“Facing to the northern clime, Thrice he traced the Runic rhyme; Thrice pronounced, in accents dread, The thrilling verse that wakes the dead, Till from out the hollow ground Slowly breathed a sullen sound.”
Odin faces north, traces the Runic rhyme three times, and chants a terrifying verse that raises the dead, causing a hollow sound to emerge from the ground.
This passage from Gray's ode illustrates the use of Runic letters for necromancy.
