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History Channel's epic historical drama, Vikings, is one of the most popular shows of the last decade. The show boasts six seasons of epic battles, political intrigue, and exploration. It follows the Viking chieftain Ragnar Lothbrok and his descendants on their journey to become legendary figures in Viking history.
Created by Micheal Hirst, the historical drama series premiered in 2013 and aired until 2020. It had an ensemble cast of Travis Fimmel, Katheryn Winnick, Alexander Ludwig, and several other actors, and is praised for its compelling narrative, interesting characters, and impressive portrayal of the era.
While some critics were unimpressed by the blend of fact and fiction and cited the show as misleading and stereotypical in its portrayal of Viking culture and lifestyle, general audience reception was quite favorable.
Disclaimer: Spoilers ahead
Vikings is an engaging blend of history, fiction, and mythology
An excerpt from the Official History Channel website provides a brief history of Vikings:
"From around A.D. 800 to the 11th century, a vast number of Scandinavians left their homelands to seek their fortunes elsewhere. These seafaring warriors–known collectively as Vikings or Norsemen (“Northmen”)–began by raiding coastal sites, especially undefended monasteries, in the British Isles. Over the next three centuries, they would leave their mark as pirates, raiders, traders and settlers on much of Britain and the European continent, as well as parts of modern-day Russia, Iceland, Greenland and Newfoundland."
The show begins around the same period as the beginning of the Viking Age. An ambitious Norwegian farmer, Ragnar Lothbrok, gathers a few men, including his brother Rollo and friend Floki, and sails to the undiscovered British Isles.
They land in Northumbria and pillage a Christian monastery in Lindisfarne, mercilessly killing the monks, and looting the riches. From there, Ragnar returns with precious artifacts, and a slave monk, Athelstan.
Upon returning to Kattegat, his hometown, he is treated as a hero who has carved a new route and opened up a new world for the Vikings to conquer. However, he gets on the bad side of the chief of his town, Earl Heraldson, which ultimately leads to a duel between the two, and upon killing Heraldson, Ragnar becomes the new Earl of Kattegat.
The show takes inspiration from real historical events and characters. The characters of Ragnar, Bjorn, Lagertha, Floki, and several others are both historical and mythical. Their exploits have been exaggerated in the Nordic sagas, and the show takes creative liberties in their portrayal.
The Raid of Lindisfarne of 793, The Seige of Paris in 845, and the looting, slavery, and human sacrifices, are all real events with historical and archeological pieces of evidence. However, as the Vikings were a non-literate culture, without literature or arts, the show heavily relies on the Norse sagas, stories about the Viking's voyages and battles that were written in the 13th century.
Nordic mythology, mysticism, religion, and beliefs also come into play in the show, as there are numerous scenes of magic and miracles. A character called the 'Ancient One' often tells the characters about their destiny and purpose, becoming the bridge between the humans and Gods.
How the Vikings constantly keeps audiences on the edge of their seats
The violent adventures of Ragnar Lothbrok and his family keep the viewers hooked to the screen till the last minute of the show. While Travis Kimmel and Katheryn Winnick carry the show with their inspiring screen presence and brilliant performance, the supporting characters make Vikings stand out.
The story covers many decades, from the first raid of Lindisfarne to the battle between Alfred The Great and Ivar The Boneless. The compelling political games and battle strategies are merged with intriguing character development and the interplay of destiny, making every scene interesting.
The show explores the themes of honor, loyalty, and destiny within the context of Viking society, offering insight into its customs and traditions. However, while the acting, the production value, and the writing have been showered with words of praise, Vikings has also been criticized for its explicit violence and explicit content.
The show explores the contention between old and new religions
The most impressive part of the show is its portrayal of religion and religious influence on the lives of people of that age. The Viking raids on England and Paris brings together two different cultures and religions together.
The Christians see the invaders as heathen savages who want to wage a war on God and spread paganism. The Vikings are equally rigid in their beliefs and refuse to recognize the 'Christ God'. Their motivation for battles is deeply rooted in the culture and the desire to die on the battlefield to reach Valhalla.
The contention between the two beliefs is primarily represented by the characters of Floki and Athelstan in the first four seasons, and by Ivar The Boneless in the later parts.
The Vikings are firm believers of their faith, happy to make any sacrifice to the Gods to reach Valhalla. They organize extravagant funerals, gather riches to bury with their corps, and offer animal and human sacrifices. When an Earl or King dies, their slaves are asked to burn on their pyre, and the person is often happy to do it, as it is one of the ways to reach Valhalla.
On the show, the Christians believe themselves to be more evolved and civilized. They dismiss any other forms of worship, and consider the Vikings as heathens, describing them as demons.
Through the conversation between some of the more liberal characters like Ragnar, Athelstan, and King Eckbert, the audiences get to delve deeper into medieval thinking and rationale. Even the characters with more rigid beliefs are presented as passionate devotees, doing what they think is the way to divine.
Vikings has some of the most intriguing characters in recent TV history
Each of the characters in Vikings has their motivations, strengths, and flaws. The character of Ragnar leads the show, but everyone else also gets their storyline and space to shine.
Lagertha The Shieldmaiden, Ragnar's first wife, is the primary example of the show giving equal opportunity to its supporting characters. Lagertha is a warrior, strong enough to defeat any man in battle. But she is also a strategist, a mother, and a leader. She divorces her husband and goes on her journey, eventually becoming the queen of Kattegat.
Floki is a brilliant boatbuilder and the closest confidant of Ragnar, ready to do anything he asks for, and even dying for him. But he is also a staunch believer in Vikings' culture and customs. He rebels against Ragnar's curiosity towards Christianity and kills Athelstan to save him from his influence. His internal and external journey against Christianity eventually takes him to a new world.
Similarly, Bjorn, Ubbe, Hvitserk, and Ivar get their separate paths, different from their father's. They go on individual voyages and battles, and develop their own beliefs. Bjorn becomes a legendary warrior like Ragnar, Ubbe more resembles the pacifist side of his father, and Ivar becomes a fierce strategist, feared by enemies and friends, despite being a cripple.
Other characters like King Eckbert, Judith, Rollo, King Harald, Aslaug, Athelstan, and others, also leave a lasting impact on the screen. Though the depth of character development varies throughout the series, for a show to manage so many characters and not lose the essence of the story is a remarkable achievement.
Vikings humanizes historical heroes
Ragnar is one of the most legendary figures of the Norse saga, his valor and leadership are revered by Scandinavian historians, but reviled by the English, who present him as a merciless demon.
However, this series paints him and the rest of the other characters with gentle strokes of humanity, showing their strengths and their flaws. Ragnar is a brilliant mind, a liberal thinker, a merciful leader, and as good of a human being as the world around him allows. But he is also a vicious fighter and merciless killer, capable of tearing out the lungs of his enemy from their breathing body.
Ragnar loses more than he wins, and by the end, dies a broken man. The same fate is showered upon many other powerful characters. No one is above the shield of destiny, no one is above pain and desires. The characters get absorbed by their personality, blinded by faith, and tormented by grief.
Vikings is a visually stunning and ambitious historical series that captures the spirit of Norse history and legends. It's a compelling exploration of religion, history, and mythology, presented through brilliant writing and performances.
While there are certain issues with the historical accuracy, portrayal of violence, and pacing, it never overpowers the positive aspects of the show. The series is worth a watch for the blend of fact and fiction, as well as the characters of Ragnar Lothbrok and Lagertha The Shieldmaiden.
The show is available on Netflix and History Channel.
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