It's here! It's here! Can't contain excitement! May have had a moment of incontinence as a result! ;)
#LikeAViking
Showing posts with label Lagertha. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lagertha. Show all posts
Friday, 10 July 2015
SEASON 4 TRAILER IS HERE!
It's here! It's here! Can't contain excitement! May have had a moment of incontinence as a result! ;)
#LikeAViking
Wednesday, 8 July 2015
"Our whole lives are just stories..."
WARNING: Should you continue to read the rest of this particular blog post, I cannot be held accountable if you can never view "Vikings" in the same way again!
Going to level with you. This post has absolutely zero per cent got to do with anything regarding my 'training' to become an extra on History's Vikings. No, this is by far my most random post and a little out there, but bare with me, it will provide a giggle or two when you realise it's quite accurate. Confused yet?
Back in the day, the Sagas and legends of the Vikings were passed along by skalds and their poetry. Preserving(and possibly taking serious artistic license) the heroes and villains, Kings and warriors, and rights and wrongs of their society and history. And by word of mouth at that! Nothing was written down. Entire accounts of people and events were dependent on how much a skaldic poet was being paid, how creative he/she was and how much they liked you(and probably how much mead had been consumed too...to be fair). They were the Michael Hirst's and Walt Disney's of their day...without the multimillion budgets, animation/CGI skills, crew of hundreds and leading men and ladies to bring it all to life...but you get the picture.
These dudes and dudettes were inspired by the living history around them. Either f'row on the battle field taking in all the action, or front and centre on stage providing light entertainment for the gathered masses. Recounting the valiant blow by blow heroic victory of his or her employer, or ridiculing the dismal or nonexistent display of gallantry by the losing force. Their job was to be inspired!
Eventually a record of these tales was kept. Thank you Mr Snorri Sturluson. And it is that, along with other accounts, that inspired Michael Hirst to bring to life the Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok and his many sons...
Sitting in on a rainy day watching Disney movies with my little nephew I couldnt help but notice a couple of storyline/theme parallels with my favourite TV show of all time. Maybe it was the lack of fresh air from sitting in out of the rain in the middle of the day. Maybe it was the lack of vitamin D from having the curtains closed pretending we're in the cinema. Maybe it was the third cup of coffee I'd consumed in two hours in a vein attempt to keep up with the energy levels of a six year old, whose energy stores would only be comparable to that of an energiser bunny who main lines skittles and Red Bull all day. But whatever it was, my mind had gone to an altered state of realisation. Michael Hirst is undeniably inspired by the greatest saga of all time...
THE LION KING!
FLOKI/RAFIKI
The eccentric, spiritual one, with a penchant for face paint and a bit of a tree fetish!
ROLLO/SCAR
A serious case of fraternal jealousy going on, and a hunger for recognition and power that leads him to stoop to drastic measures to achieve his ambitions.
RAGNAR/MUFASA
Intelligent and just. Family is the most important thing to him, even his selfish brother. Revered by all. Will go to great lengths to protect his family and kin.
BJÖRN/SIMBA
Impatient to prove himself as a worthy ruler. Foolish in the face of adversity and 'Just cannot wait to be king'(Be honest, you sang that last bit, didn't you!?!).
ATHELSTAN/ZAZU
The reserved, well travelled one. Adviser, friend and confidante to the King. Not best liked by the King's brother.
LAGERTHA/SARABI
Alpha female, mother and equal counterpart to her King. Not to mention the 'what's going on there?' relationship with her husband's brother!
PORUNN/NALA
The love interest of the righteous heir to the thrown but wants to prove she is more than an equal to her male counterparts.
THORSTEIN & ARNE/THIMONE & PUMBA
Good time boys extolling their own unique perspective of the ways of the world to a young impressionable future leader. Not the most well adjusted of individuals but charming and carefree in their own way(Hakuna Matata!).
I did warn you! I told you it was a bit out there. But good luck watching Vikings in the future without your subconscious flitting back and forth between the comparisons!
In other news, I did tell some friends I'd give them a mention for their Twitter account. So give some love to the ladies of TeamStanden. Your one stop shop for all things relating to Clive Standen. He seems to be a bit of a fan of the account himself judging by the retweets! #Standenites
#LikeAViking
TITLE QUOTE: Season 1 Episoode 7 A King's Ransom
Lagertha to husband and wife seeking council about their child
Going to level with you. This post has absolutely zero per cent got to do with anything regarding my 'training' to become an extra on History's Vikings. No, this is by far my most random post and a little out there, but bare with me, it will provide a giggle or two when you realise it's quite accurate. Confused yet?
Back in the day, the Sagas and legends of the Vikings were passed along by skalds and their poetry. Preserving(and possibly taking serious artistic license) the heroes and villains, Kings and warriors, and rights and wrongs of their society and history. And by word of mouth at that! Nothing was written down. Entire accounts of people and events were dependent on how much a skaldic poet was being paid, how creative he/she was and how much they liked you(and probably how much mead had been consumed too...to be fair). They were the Michael Hirst's and Walt Disney's of their day...without the multimillion budgets, animation/CGI skills, crew of hundreds and leading men and ladies to bring it all to life...but you get the picture.
These dudes and dudettes were inspired by the living history around them. Either f'row on the battle field taking in all the action, or front and centre on stage providing light entertainment for the gathered masses. Recounting the valiant blow by blow heroic victory of his or her employer, or ridiculing the dismal or nonexistent display of gallantry by the losing force. Their job was to be inspired!
Eventually a record of these tales was kept. Thank you Mr Snorri Sturluson. And it is that, along with other accounts, that inspired Michael Hirst to bring to life the Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok and his many sons...
Sitting in on a rainy day watching Disney movies with my little nephew I couldnt help but notice a couple of storyline/theme parallels with my favourite TV show of all time. Maybe it was the lack of fresh air from sitting in out of the rain in the middle of the day. Maybe it was the lack of vitamin D from having the curtains closed pretending we're in the cinema. Maybe it was the third cup of coffee I'd consumed in two hours in a vein attempt to keep up with the energy levels of a six year old, whose energy stores would only be comparable to that of an energiser bunny who main lines skittles and Red Bull all day. But whatever it was, my mind had gone to an altered state of realisation. Michael Hirst is undeniably inspired by the greatest saga of all time...
THE LION KING!
The eccentric, spiritual one, with a penchant for face paint and a bit of a tree fetish!
ROLLO/SCAR
A serious case of fraternal jealousy going on, and a hunger for recognition and power that leads him to stoop to drastic measures to achieve his ambitions.
Intelligent and just. Family is the most important thing to him, even his selfish brother. Revered by all. Will go to great lengths to protect his family and kin.
BJÖRN/SIMBA
Impatient to prove himself as a worthy ruler. Foolish in the face of adversity and 'Just cannot wait to be king'(Be honest, you sang that last bit, didn't you!?!).
The reserved, well travelled one. Adviser, friend and confidante to the King. Not best liked by the King's brother.
Alpha female, mother and equal counterpart to her King. Not to mention the 'what's going on there?' relationship with her husband's brother!
The love interest of the righteous heir to the thrown but wants to prove she is more than an equal to her male counterparts.
Good time boys extolling their own unique perspective of the ways of the world to a young impressionable future leader. Not the most well adjusted of individuals but charming and carefree in their own way(Hakuna Matata!).
I did warn you! I told you it was a bit out there. But good luck watching Vikings in the future without your subconscious flitting back and forth between the comparisons!
In other news, I did tell some friends I'd give them a mention for their Twitter account. So give some love to the ladies of TeamStanden. Your one stop shop for all things relating to Clive Standen. He seems to be a bit of a fan of the account himself judging by the retweets! #Standenites
#LikeAViking
TITLE QUOTE: Season 1 Episoode 7 A King's Ransom
Lagertha to husband and wife seeking council about their child
Sunday, 10 May 2015
"It is only death..."
Apologies for the inactivity on the blog over the last fortnight. It has been one filled with great happiness and excitement, only to be dashed with heartbreak soon after.
One of our sheep gave birth to, not one, but two little lambies. She had laboured them on her own in the early hours of the morning. Unassisted as we weren't expecting any possible arrivals until late May at the earliest. Unfortunately, nature can be a cruel thing. Due to her inexperience and nervous disposition she trampled her newborn before we had a chance to step in and hand rear the little ones. Something, I'm told, is a regular occurrence with sheep. But it's hard to deal with all the same. Even though they were only about for a few short hours, I'd grown quite attached to the little guys.
The themes of attachment and death loom large throughout the entire series of Vikings. Michael Hirst's writing stays true to the historical reputation of a hardened, pagan society while still adding depth to his characters by illustrating how they deal with the strength of their own convictions. The societal norm vs. their human experience.
The title quote is but one great example of this. A tough, young Viking boy, Björn(played brilliantly by Nathan O'Toole), utters the detached, matter-of-fact statement to Athelstan(George Blagden) as they watch a slave girl who has chosen to go to the afterlife with her dead master. Capturing perfectly the moment the priest struggles to come to terms with the harsh realities of a new society that is so foreign to his fundamental beliefs. But it is not so different after all. Religion tells us life is precious but the son of God himself gave his life for the betterment of others. A fate Athelstan has to accept for himself in Season 3.
We constantly see Rollo's(Clive Standen) attachment to his brother, Ragnar(Travis Fimmel), swing like a pendulum between loyalty to his kin and his own ruthless ambition.
Ragnar's own attachment to his family is rather complex. His endless forgiveness of the many betrayals of his brother vs. the growing spite towards his then wife, Lagertha(Katheryn Winnick), for her inability to carry anymore of his sons. His heartbreak at the death of his daughter Geida vs. his readiness to abandon his infant son, Ivar, in the wild for certain death due to his disfigurement. And the most pivotal storyline of all, Ragnar's attachment to Athelstan. From slave and master, to educator and scholar, to mutual respect as friends and equals.
The theme of death is dealt with on many levels. The glory of death, to valiantly earn your seat at the Great Hall of Valhalla through courageous acts on the battlefield and your own heroic death at the hands of your enemies. How respect between enemies can be earned in one's final moments. Cast your mind back to Season 2's Blood Eagle. When Ragnar, as executioner, looks Jarl Borg(Thorbjørn Harr) straight in the eye with the utmost respect for his acceptance of his fate and places his hand back in the hold before finishing the ritual. Not to forget the moment in Season 1 Episode 8, "Sacrifice," when Leif(Diarmaid Murtagh) volunteers his own life in place of Athelstan's at Uppsala. Earning himself a noble death by giving his life for the continued good fortune and prosperity of his people.
But not all death is noble and deserving of respect. No love was lost taking the life of King Horik(Donal Logue) in the season finale of Season 2 Episode 10, "The Lord's Prayer." No honour or respect could be earned in his final moments after his complete betrayal and disrespect of the Earl.
...That got a little deep and meaningful! Sorry folks, not my usual subject matter or lighthearted look on things. I will be back with something more upbeat and ridiculous next time.
#LikeAViking
Title Quote: Season 1 Episode 6 "Burial Of The Dead"
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