Continuing in the general theme of explaining the evolutions of myth, today I’ll be discussing the evolution of the concept of dwarves. Dwarves are a mythological race that were popularized in fantasy literature by J.R.R. Tolkien and which have subsequently become a common feature in all forms of fantasy media. Even Tolkien’s grammatical mistake of “dwarves” rather than “dwarfs” has become so widely followed that it is no longer considered an error. Despite the degree to which the modern dwarf owes its new life to Tolkien, the concept of dwarves is one with a very ancient pedigree.
Dwarves, like the elves, are a mythological race with origins in germanic mythology and folklore. In the opening poem of the Poetic Edda, the Voluspa, we are told of the origin and end of the world. The dwarves were fashioned from the blood of Brimir and bones of Blainn. The name “Brimir” means “bloody moisture” in Old Norse, and though the etymology of Blainn is unknown, it’s reasonable to guess that it means something like “bones”. Scholars generally believe Brimir and Blainn to be alternate names for Ymir, the primordial giant. The Norse gods used various parts of Ymir’s body to create the world in its entirety, making the seas from his blood, the earth from his flesh and the mountains from his bones. Thus it may also be said that the dwarves were made from the mountains and the seas.
The dwarves were created in “man’s likeness” and emerged “from the world’s rock, earth’s foundation” to walk on the earth. Joining the dwarves on their emergence in the earth are three of the Æsir, the Norse gods, who find Ask and Embla, the first man and woman. Ask and Embla are given spirit, blood, and sense by the gods, thereby making them truly living. Dwarves therefore predate man in the Norse cosmogony. Most scholars believe the Prose Edda identifys the dwarf homeland as Svartalfheim, literally home of the swarthy elves.
The role of dwarves within the created world is varied, though they are never shown to be friendly creatures. Dwarves seem only to ever cooperate with others to achieve their own ends, oftentimes resorting to deceit to get what they want. Despite their surly and miserly disposition, dwarves seem to hold some important roles. In the Prose Edda, four dwarves representing the cardinal directions hold up the sky. Additionally, several stories mention dwarves as guardians of the doorways in the mountains, which may be the doors to the afterlife. Above all, dwarves are beings associated creating great treasures which they reluctantly share with others. Some of their more famous creations include the mead of poetry and the reforging of Gram, Sigurd’s sword. In the late sagas, dwarves said to have skill in healing as well as smithing.
According to the earliest sources, there is no mention of dwarves being particularly short, though the later sagas call them small and ugly. It’s likely that Christianity led to the diminution of the dwarves, much as it did with other mythological races. As the dwarfs transitioned from early mythology into later folklore, they became identified by their small stature, their long beards, and lust after mortals of the opposite sex. Dwarves were commonly held to have the power to become invisible and had supernatural strength. As with the earlier myths, dwarves were still held to be master craftsmen who hoarded treasure troves of gold and magical items.
In the modern era, dwarves appeared first in the Brother’s Grimm 19th century tale of Snow White. There they appeared as small, bearded miners. The contemporaries and friends, J.R.R Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, both included dwarves in their most famous stories, The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia, respectively. Dwarves in the modern era of fantasy media appear generally as they did in the folklore stage of their history: as short and bearded, mountain-dwelling smiths.