Ragnarok is the Viking Armageddon, the End of Times. So is there an Afterlife for Vikings?
Vikings led a tough life out in northern Europe, farming an unproductive land, compared to much of England, France or other countries they raided. Winter was long, hunting was done wearing skis or skates on the ice and snow. People could degenerate, especially those living in isolated farmhouses for months on end, unless their beliefs encouraged them to be strong and honorable.
What could Vikings look forward to after death? What would make a Viking strive to behave in an honorable way, to Vikings, anyway? If they died an honorable, brave and glorious death in battle, they could join the army of the Einherjahr, the people residing in Valhalla, spending their days fighting each other to train for the great battle of Ragnarok, and feasting under the ceiling made of golden shields, with rafters made from spears. All wounds are healed overnight and the next day the warriors start afresh. A huge boar named Saehrimnir is eaten every day and regenerates every night. 520
Heidrun, the goat whose udders supply an infinite flow of the finest mead known to man, quenches everyone’s thirst.
And so it goes on until Ragnarok, when a Great Winter descends upon the world. “Fimbulvetr”, lasting as long as 3 winters, plunges Mankind into a bare struggle for survival where all laws and morals fall away. The gods decide to battle the Evil which has all been released at once, even though they know from the prophecies what the outcome will be. The Einherjar fight more valiantly than has ever been done before alongside <PERSON>, all the Heroes and Gods face their Evil foes and they all kill one another. The world is destroyed and even the memory of humans and gods is erased.
For the ancient Vikings, to end up fighting and disappearing alongside the gods was a worthy end, and encouraged them to be brave during life.
A second version of Ragnarok appeared after many Vikings were converted to Christianity which probably appealed to those who were never going to go to Valhalla: almost all women, weaker men, men who died of sickness or old age. Two humans, a man and a woman, are shielded from the destruction, along with a few surviving gods and the daughter of the sun and repopulate the Earth which is renewed. 72