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The Worldview of the Vikings

The Vikings believed that Yggdrasill, the world tree of Norse mythology, connected three worlds with its roots: Midgard, the world inhabited and experienced by humans; Utgard, the outer world where giants and mythological monsters lived; and Hel, the underworld. Except in old wives' tales, the boundaries between these worlds hardly played a role, as the Vikings were apparently not afraid to explore areas beyond their experience. 

In addition, the Vikings imagined a world of gods with a castle called Asgard, the court of the Aesir, where the gods lived.

Nature beings

The Vikings imagined nature to be populated by giants, Jötnar, Thurses, trolls, dwarves, and other mythical creatures that humans could encounter in real life. On the one hand, these giant creatures were considered dangerous, but on the other hand, they were regarded as wise and as the ancestors of the gods due to the great age of the giant race. In this case, they were referred to as “Jötnar.” In contrast, the dwarves living in rocks and underground were famous for their craftsmanship, with which they made various treasures for the gods and the famous ship Skidbladnir, which always had favorable winds.