How does Ancient Egypt’s perception of the dead illustrate their philosophies of life? Also, add your own personal reflection on death and dying.

Ancient Egypt’s perception of the dead illustrates their philosophies of life in that it reveals the importance they place on a life after death. Ancient Egyptians believed in an eternal life beyond the limits of mortality. Because they knew their physical time on the earth was finite, they looked towards the prospect of the infinite peace of death in the afterlife. To them, the dead were never truly gone because their souls lived on in spirit. As a result, they would cherish the dead in a variety of ways. For example, mummification was a method they used to preserve the body and soul of the deceased as they crossed into the afterlife. Additionally, they wrote books of the dead that contained spells for people to use so as to overcome the challenges of the afterlife before they could move on to an eternal happiness. Lastly, they would create extravagant tombs and conduct embalming rituals to honor the deceased. Essentially, the ancient Egyptians placed a greater emphasis on death over life because they perceived it to be significantly longer-lasting, and more peaceful, than life itself.

I would say that my own beliefs on death and dying are somewhat similar to those of Ancient Egyptians. Personally, I think that after we die, there is some kind of heaven for us to go to. I don’t believe there is a hell, because I think that regardless of whether or not you were a good person in life, everyone has the chance at redemption in death. Ancient Egyptians believed that the deceased would need to surpass a series of trials to enter the afterlife, and if they failed to do so, they would simply cease to exist. However, I believe that once we die, we all enter an alternate universe where the whole of humanity lives together, but apart, in harmony. By this I mean that we all exist in the same realm, but we aren’t aware of each others presence. Instead, we are only met with our loved ones as a means of reconciliation. Because of this, I think that we ought to live our lives to the fullest when we are actually alive so that we can make the most of our opportunities and encounter plenty of people that may turn out to be important in the future. If we don’t do this in life, then we’ll be all alone in death; and as a result, there will be no eternal peace.

What do you think the Norsemen would have thought of Frey’s choice? What would people in our society think today? Compare and contrast.

In the story of Gerd and Frey, Frey had fallen instability in love with Frey, resulting in his all-consuming desire to have her. As a result, he sought to propose to her so as to spend the rest of his life with his love. In doing so, he gave his magical sword to his servant Skirnir so that he could ask for Gerd's hand in marriage. This seemingly trivial action, however, had irreparable consequences for without his sword, Frey could not defend himself later in battle during Ragnorak. This brought about an untimely demise as Frey died without his sword in his hand, and would therefore not make it into Valhalla. In Norse mythology, Valhalla was considered a majestic afterlife, of sorts, open only to the courageous soldiers who died in combat. Similar to Fólkvangr, Valhalla was a realm that was sought in death, so to fail in making it there, or Fólkvangr for that matter, was considered dishonorable for the Norse. However, based on the discovered relics of the Viking Age and our understanding of Norse society, it wasn't as simple as that.

Frey's sacrifice, although ultimately leading to a disreputable death, was made for the purpose of true love, an ideal that was actually heavily valued in Norse society. The complexity of this notion lies in the fact that the Norsemen lived very short lives, encompassed by battle and brutality. As a result, love was their only escape from this harsh reality, which is perhaps why Viking lore is full of love stories. The Norse lived in a wild and ruthless world which made the love they found ever so sweeter and worth holding on to. Because their lifespans were so short, love was really the only thing that transcended throughout their entire lives, making it one of the best parts of living. People in our society today would most likely agree with the perspectives of the Norsemen because of the emphasis we place on love in the modern world. While it may seem like a weakness, similarly to how it can be perceived in the case of Frey, it's actually a necessity. Humans are not meant to be alone and self-sufficient, so our innate longing for connection is, simply put, only human. The article from Psychology Today uses science to support their claim by stating, "Eli Finkel, one of the most respected researchers in the field of relationships and attraction, states that the quality of your intimate relationship affects your happiness twice as much as your career, your friendships, or even your health." The article even appeals to the audience by depicting a step-by-step approach to understanding our longing for love "as a gift, not a liability." Overall, despite our lifespans and worlds being wildly different from that of the Vikings, our societies are connected by the importance of true love, which lies at the core of it all.