Editing Gerðr (section)

==Theories==
==="Rival of Frigg"===
In chapter 19 of the ''Prose Edda'' book ''Skáldskaparmál'', Gerðr is listed among "rivals" of the goddess [[Frigg]], a list of sexual partners of Frigg's husband, [[Odin]].<ref name=FAULKES86/> Instead of ''Gerðr'', the jötunn [[Gríðr]], mother of Odin's son [[Víðarr]] according to the ''Prose Edda'', was probably intended. One manuscript has Gríðr corrected to Gerðr.<ref>Finnur Jónsson (1900:90); he emends the text. In his 1931 diplomatic [[Arnamagnæan Institute|Arnamagnæan]] edition he notes the same.</ref> Andy Orchard notes that it may nonetheless be an intentional inclusion in view of "Odin's notorious appetites".<ref name=ORCHARD54>Orchard (1997:54).</ref>

===Earth and fertility===
Scholar [[John Lindow]] comments that Gerðr's name has been etymologically associated with the earth and enclosures and that the wedding of Gerðr and Freyr is commonly seen as "the [[Hieros gamos|divine coupling]] of sky and earth or at least [[fertility god]] and representative of the soil." Lindow adds that, at the same time, the situation can be read as simply the gods getting what they want from the [[Jötunn|jötnar]].<ref name=LINDOW139>Lindow (2001:139).</ref>

Hilda Ellis Davidson comments that Gerðr's role in ''Skírnismál'' has parallels with the goddess [[Persephone]] from [[Greek mythology]], "since it is made clear that if [Gerðr] remains below in the dark kingdom of the [[underworld]] there will be nothing to hope for but sterility and famine. She does not become the bride of the underworld, however; her bridal is to be in the upper world when she consents to meet Freyr at Barri."<ref name=DAVIDSON86>Davidson (1999:86).</ref>