A woman's work duties were, by all accounts, housekeeping and making food. A large part of her time was also taken up working wool, spinning yarn, sewing and weaving for the family's own consumption. Pregnancy and breastfeeding also took up time in a woman's life.
In general, the female characters are strong. The female characters in the sagas are praised for beauty, but more frequently for their wisdom. Many of the character traits regarded as positive in men (such as a sense of honor, courage, and a strong will) are also regarded as positive traits in women.
She explains that Viking women often had pronounced jawbones and eyebrows, whereas in the men, these features were more feminine than what archaeologists are accustomed to when trying to determine the gender of ancient skeletons.
Women that fought were in the Norse literature called vakyries or shield-maidens (skjoldsmøyer). There were several kinds of female warriors. – Some were divine beings, like the valkyries sent by Odin to pick up the warriors that were slain on the battlefield.
Fidelity. This belief in fidelity extended far beyond the modern understanding of it, which is to remain monogamous with your life partner. They also applied this belief in fidelity to friends and family as well, which meant that Vikings had to be unequivocally loyal to those that were close to them.
Some men would have two to three wives, but the Norse sagas say that some princes had limitless numbers. "So raiding was away to build up wealth and power. Men could gain a place in society, and the chance for wives if they took part in raids and proved their masculinity and came back wealthy.
Viking women married young—as early as 12 years old. By the age of 20, virtually all men and women were married. Life expectancy was about 50 years, but most died long before reaching 50. Only a few lived to 60.
Lagertha. Thanks to Saxo Grammaticus' Gesta Danorum, we know of a legendary female Viking known as either Lagertha or Ladgerda. This incredible woman was part of a larger group of female warriors who volunteered to help renowned hero Ragnar Lothbrok avenge his grandfather's death.
The overwhelming preponderance of evidence suggests that women in the Viking world were expected to run households, serve the men, and bear children. Even the mythical Valkyries, with their bellowing battle cries, are most often depicted in images where they offer drinking horns of mead to slain (male) warriors.
Some recent articles have highlighted gender equality in the Viking Age. But while women did hold a certain level of power, there were still great differences in the roles of men and women.
"The examination of skeletons from different localities in Scandinavia reveals that the average height of the Vikings was a little less than that of today: men were about 5 ft 7-3/4 in. tall and women 5 ft 2-1/2 in.
Like today's men and women, the Vikings dressed according to sex, age and economic status. The men preferred trousers and tunics, whilst the women dressed in strap dresses worn over undergarments. Ordinary Viking clothes were made of local materials, like wool and flax, woven by the women.
At the same time, the term kona can also be translated as “wife,” but it has a more specific meaning than eignamaður. Kona usually refers to the woman whom a man lived with while they were married.
Female Vikings could go to Valhalla. Viking culture and mythos were not free of bias against women, but the gods cared about the method of their dying, not the details of their life. According to the Poetic Edda, Valhalla was reserved only for those who demonstrated their eternal valor by dying in battle.
For Norsemen, beauty of men and women were judged relatively the same. With features like long blonde hair being coveted alongside hygienic practices like bathing. Additionally, women were coveted for their paleness (“flashing white arms”) and the length and shininess of her hair; the longer, the better.
“Warrioress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/warrioress. Accessed 29 Jul. 2023.
Thyra: Queen of the Danes, mother of Harald Bluetooth.
Thyra was the wife of King Gorm the Old who was commonly recognized as the first Danish Viking King. Their famous son was Harald Bluetooth who declared himself as the first King of the Danes and the one who managed to convert the Danes into Christianity.
ShieldMaidens, Valkyries & Heroines
The most famous type of mortal warrior woman known from the sagas is the shieldmaiden, who is mirrored in the spiritual realm of the afterlife by the Valkyries. The shieldmaiden was allegedly a woman who took up arms and armor and fought in battle alongside men.
Lagertha, according to legend, was a Viking ruler and shield-maiden from what is now Norway, and the onetime wife of the famous Viking Ragnar Lodbrok. Her tale was recorded by the chronicler Saxo in the 12th century.
The written sources portray Viking women as independent and possessing rights. Compared to women elsewhere in the same period, Viking women had more freedom. However, there were limits to this. Even if women had a relatively strong position, they were officially inferior to men.
Cnut, the famed Danish king of England from 1016-1035, enacted a grim law that died with him. It stipulated that a woman committing adultery must lose her nose and ears, while men were merely chastised.
Proposals generally always came from the man in a Viking courtship, or his father. The male would contact the family of the girl they wished to marry, and arrange a time to discuss terms.
Not only were unmarried women permitted to live with unmarried men, but it was also entirely socially acceptable. There was also a completely permissive attitude towards children born out of wedlock. 'Illegitimacy' wasn't a concept and women were never shamed for falling pregnant or having a child while unmarried.
A household might consist not only several husband-and-wife couples (with one member of each couple typically related by blood to one member of every other couple) and their children, but also the families of servants and bondsmen. During this time, the typical household size was probably ten to twenty people.