Ragnarok

"The gods decided to tie up the wolf.  The words men used to describe the gods were the words they used for fetters or bonds, things which held the world together, within bounds, preventing the breakout of chaos and disorder." (52)

I chose this passage because the word choice stood out to me.  The denotation of "fetters" is a chain used to restrain a prisoner.  Its connotation is heavily on the negative end.  This is part of the reason that this passage was so intriguing to me.  While my perception of gods is a far more enlightening, awe-inspring one, it appears as though men in this time thought differently.  I had always believed that in ancient Greek times, men and women both heavily revered the gods, relied upon them, and worshipped them.  The repetition of the image of tying or restricting mortals in this passage implies that the God's powers serve to limit, protect, and inhibit the people.  "Fetters" elicits the image of chains, an overbearing, uncomfortable, heavy object that entraps criminals.  I had never imagined the Gods as the glue that holds the world together, and I found that comparison very interesting in this passage.  Are humans wild beasts that need to be tamed?  In Ragnarok, I repeatedly noticed the notion of the elements holding far more power than humans do.  For instance, the skinny child merely watches, observes, and glimpses at the ever-changing, fascinating things surrounding her.  What does this say about human agency?  If the Gods have so much power, like this passage implies, how do they control us?  To what extent do we have free will?  Are we just pawns in their game as they manipulate and strategize?