Motif
Berserker frenzy and temporary invulnerability
berserker_frenzy_and_temporary_invulnerability
A motif of the Conditional Invulnerability and Hidden Weakness family. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.
1 occurrences
1 traditions
norse
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The Poetic Edda THE POEM OF HYNDLA / INTRODUCTORY NOTE / FRAGMENT OF THE SHORT VOLUSPO / NOTES; lines 9161-9271 confidence: high
Stanzas 23-24 name twelve Berserkers, sons of Arngrim and Eyfura; their story appears in sagas and Saxo; berserkers are described as frenzied wild warriors, animal-like in battle, proof against steel or fire, and weak after fever abates.
The passage defines berserkers as wild warriors whose battle frenzy produces animal-like actions and resistance to steel and fire, followed by weakness.
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