The History Channel's series Vikings has become one of the most popular shows on television. The series tells the story of Ragnar Lothbrok, a Viking warrior who rises to become King of Denmark. While the show is fiction, it is based on historical accounts of the Viking Age.
So,
what does it take to become a Viking? In this blog post, we'll take a look at
what the series gets right and wrong about Viking culture, from the creator's
inspiration to the filming locations, and everything in between.
How the series Vikings came to be?
The
series Vikings was created by Michael Hirst, who is also known for his work on
The Tudors and Elizabeth. He was inspired to create the show after reading a book
about the Viking raider Ragnar Lothbrok. He was struck by the idea of telling
the story of the Vikings not from the perspective of their enemies, but from
their own point of view.
The casting process.
Hirst
went through a lengthy casting process to find actors who could capture the
essence of the Viking way of life. He wanted to make sure that they were
physically imposing and had the right look for the part. In addition, he made
sure that they could speak Old Norse, which is the language spoken by the
Vikings in the series.
The filming locations.
The
series is filmed in Ireland and Iceland, which provide some of the most
stunning landscapes in all of Scandinavia. This gives the show an authentic
feel that adds to its realism.
What the series gets right about Viking culture?
The
Vikings were known for their practical and functional clothing. The clothes
they wore were made to keep them warm in the cold Scandinavian climate. They
used wool, fur, and leather to make their clothes. The series Vikings accurately
depicts the types of clothing that the Vikings would have worn.
The language.
The
series Vikings is able to capture the feeling of the Viking age by using the
Old Norse language. This was the language spoken by the Vikings. The show's
creators worked with a linguist to create a realistic sounding Old Norse dialog
for the show.
The customs.
Viking
culture was built around honor, courage, and loyalty. These values are
accurately portrayed in the series Vikings. The show also depicts other Viking
customs such as shamanism and blood feuds accurately.
What the series gets wrong about Viking culture?
The
show's depiction of Viking ships is inaccurate in a few ways. First, the ships
shown are much too large to be realistic. Second, the sails are square, when in
reality they would have been triangular. Third, the oars are shown as being
rowed in unison, when in fact each oar would have had its own rhythm. Finally,
the ships are shown as being very stable, when in reality they would have been
quite dangerous and prone to capsizing.
The battles.
The
show's depiction of Viking battles is also inaccurate in a few ways. First, the
Vikings are shown using round shields, when in reality they would have used
oval or rectangular shields. Second, the Vikings are shown using swords and
axes as their primary weapons, when in reality spears would have been their primary
weapons. Third, the battles are shown as being very bloody and brutal, when in
reality most Viking battles were actually quite clean and tidy affairs. Fourth,
the show depicts Vikings as being invincible warriors, when in reality they
were actually quite vulnerable to defeat.
The gods.
Finally,
the show's depiction of Viking gods is inaccurate in a number of ways. First,
it depicts them as being all-powerful beings who control everything that
happens in the world. Second, it depicts them as living in an otherworldly
realm called Asgard (which is actually a Norse mythological concept). Third, it
shows them as having humanlike characteristics (such as love and hatred), when
in reality they were actually more like concepts or ideas than actual beings.
Conclusion
It is clear that the series Vikings gets many things right about Viking culture, but there are also some inaccuracies. However, this does not take away from the fact that it is an excellent series and gives viewers a good idea of what life was like for the Vikings.