‘A Furore Normannorum, Libera Nos Domine!’ A Short History of Going Berserk in Scandinavian Literature and Heavy Metal
In: Can I Play with Madness? Metal, Dissonance, Madness and Alienation
Author:
Imke von Helden
Imke von Helden
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The motif of the berserker (‘one whose actions are recklessly defiant’) and of ‘going berserk’ (‘going mad’, ‘to become violent and uncontrolled’) has a longstanding cultural history, especially in old Scandinavian literature. It is in hm. The following chapter aims to portray the history of the motif from Old Norse literature to its presence in today’s culture and particularly in heavy metal music. I aim to show how the motif is used to act as both a channel for aggression and as social criticism.