The Northman True Story: Vikings & Animal Symbolism Explained
Warning: this article contains spoilers for The Northman.
Animals play a large role in The Northman and the Norse cultures that inspired the film and here's the meaning and symbolism of the animals that are present within the film. The Northman is a Viking revenge epic directed by Robert Eggers, who is known for The Witch and The Lighthouse. Animals play an integral role in all of Eggers' films, with the demonic goat in The Witch and the seagulls in The Lighthouse, the latter of which appear to be the ghosts of sailors' past. The Northman continues this trend and the film's animals both influence the plot and inform the audience about the characters.
The characters of The Northman are played by a stellar cast that includes Alexander Skarsgård, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, and Nicole Kidman among others. Critics have praised the cast and the movie's ability to immerse audiences within the world tenth century Iceland and the Viking culture that permeates the setting. Director Robert Eggers is known for his specificity and his dedication to historical accuracy. This is on full display in The Northman as it depicts Viking rituals and the brutality of certain tribes of warriors, such as the berserkers.
Related: Why The Northman Will Be Bigger Than The Lighthouse (And The Witch)
Some scenes in The Northman may therefore appear strange at first, as Eggers never outright explains aspects of the movie that were directly inspired by historical knowledge of Norse cultures and Icelandic sagas. One such unexplained aspect is the animals in the film, of which there are four that occur most prominently: bears, wolves, ravens, and foxes. The Norse peoples believed that each animal was representative of certain characteristics, for
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