In Norse mythology, Myrkviðr, meaning “Darkwood” or “Mirkwood,” is a shadowy and mysterious forest that appears in several sagas and Eddic poems. It often serves as a boundary between worlds, a liminal place that separates the realms of gods, giants, and men. In the Poetic Edda, Myrkviðr is the ominous woodland that the sons of Muspell—a fiery host of chaos—must pass through on their march toward Ragnarök. It is also featured in heroic lays, such as the Helgakviða Hundingsbana, where it becomes a place of ambush, fate, and warrior trials. As a mythic forest, Myrkviðr embodies the unknown, the dangerous, and the transformative—a place where paths twist, enemies lie in wait, and destinies unfold under darkened boughs. Much like Yggdrasil connects the nine realms, Myrkviðr is a symbol of the perilous journey between them, where light gives way to shadow and the heroic must prove their worth.
