Þrúðr is a goddess of Norse mythology, named as the daughter of the thunder god Thor and his golden-haired wife Sif. Her name means "strength," and though her story survives only in fragments, she appears both as a daughter of the Aesir and among the valkyries of Valhalla.
Who is Þrúðr?
Þrúðr is listed by Snorri Sturluson as a daughter of Thor, and the poem Grímnismál counts a Þrúðr among the valkyries who bear ale to the einherjar, the warriors slain in battle. Two hints point to a lost tale of her being courted. In the poem Alvíssmál, the all-wise dwarf Alvíss comes to Asgard to claim a bride he has been promised — a daughter of Thor — and Thor, returning to find the match made in his absence, keeps the dwarf answering riddles until the rising sun turns him to stone. Separately, the early skald Bragi calls the giant Hrungnir the "thief of Þrúðr," a kenning that seems to remember a myth, now lost, in which the giant carried her off.
Symbols and legacy
Þrúðr carries her father's raw power in her very name, and the element þrúð- runs through the names of Thor's own realm, standing her beside her half-brother Magni, "the strong." She belongs to the same current of force and endurance as the rune Uruz, the wild ox of untamed vitality. Thinly attested yet vividly named, Þrúðr endures as the strength of the thunder god passed down to his daughter.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Þrúðr in Norse mythology?
Þrúðr is a goddess named as the daughter of the thunder god Thor and his golden-haired wife Sif. Her name means 'strength,' and she also appears in a list of valkyries.
What does the name Þrúðr mean?
Þrúðr means 'strength' or 'might' in Old Norse. The same element appears in Thor's hall Þrúðheimr and his field Þrúðvangr, both tied to the god's overwhelming power.
Is Þrúðr a valkyrie?
Yes. The poem Grímnismál lists Þrúðr among the valkyries who serve ale to the fallen warriors in Valhalla, so she stands as both Thor's daughter and one of Odin's shield-maidens.