Poetry · Character

Balder

The beloved Norse god whose death sets all heaven grieving and whose release from Hel depends on every living and lifeless thing weeping.

major

Also known as Balder Dead, Baldur the Good

First appearance: balder dead

As a major figure in Poetry, Balder is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

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Balder sits crowned at Hela's side in the abode of death, honored among the dead even as the gods above seek his return. When Hermod greets him, he refuses consolation—'gild me not my death'—preferring even a captive's life to this pale honor. His gentle refusal and the terms of his releasement make him the still center of the poem's mourning, the loss against which all other griefs are measured.

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See Balder in balder dead

Character Web

13 connections

A slice of how Balder sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Friendship
Family
Psychological
Romantic

Character groups

Norse myth Balder

+8 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.

Setup
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

In "Longing," the emotional peak occurs as the speaker shifts from passive despair to an active, desperate ple…

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Relationships

Hermod
friendship · positive
Hermod is Balder's loyal brother and companion, who undertakes a perilous journey to Hel… How this plays out →
Odin
family · positive
Hela
psychological · negative
Nanna
romantic · positive
Hoder
family · negative
Frea
family · positive
Lok
rivalry · negative

Hermod
Hermod is Balder's loyal brother and companion, who undertakes a perilous journey to Hel to try to bring Balder back from the dead.
Odin
Odin is Balder's father, a god who deeply loves his son but is unable to prevent his prophesied death.
Hela
Hela, the goddess of death, holds Balder captive in the underworld, creating a relationship of power and tragic inevitability.
Nanna
Nanna is Balder's devoted wife, who dies of grief after his death and joins him in the underworld.
Hoder
Balder and Hoder are brothers, but Hoder is tricked into killing Balder with a mistletoe dart, creating a tragic fratricidal bond.
Frea
Frea is Balder's mother, a goddess who tries desperately to protect him from his prophesied death.
Lok
Lok (Loki) is the trickster god who engineers Balder's death out of malice and jealousy.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Balder in balder dead