Known throughout history as ruthless, barbaric warriors, Vikings "were canny traders as well as cruel raiders" they were "the most fearsome invaders of all" (Bennett). These groups of invaders were spotted along the English Channel, on the continent, the North Atlantic, and the Russian States. But Vikings we actually a very intelligent bunch. Thanks to their extensive knowledge in geography and on the surrounding kingdoms, "strong trade networks helped Vikings know where and when to attack. Raiding, in turn, promoted more trade, as Viking would sell in one place what they had plundered in another" (Bennett). While not the most moral of actions, it's hard to argue that the Vikings weren't unaware of what they were doing when it came to money.
This movie, in particular, may not wholly focus on the factual life of Vikings but instead what their life would be like if they coexisted with dragons. From the beginning, we see the animosity between the village and the dragon species. The Vikings in this movie are seen with traditional clothing such as furs, leathers, and cloths. Even shown are the infamous the horned Viking helmets we all know and love. The characters (execpt for a select few for some reason) all have a heavy Scandinavian accent and wear braids in their hair, ranging from short to long hairstyles. They are also big and burley people--at least a majority of the characters are.
As mentioned before, Hiccup is seen as an outsider. Because he is small, skinny, and does not think of dragons as a nuisance like the rest of the village, he does not fit in. Most importantly, because he does not want to fight and kill, he is seen as weak. Yes, the Vikings are notorious for their violence, but that is not the only defining trait they have. But we see Hiccup can be strong in his own. He eventually learns to stand up for himself and gets the whole village on his side to fight with the dragons to defeat an even bigger threat.
Although this movie may not be the best one to accurately represent how Vikings lived, there are still many characteristics that are consistent with the records shown throughout history such as hairstyles, clothing, and an interest in fighting. Of course, the animated film was "Disney-fied" so many aspects were made for and aimed towards children. All in all, How to Train Your Dragon is a movie that can set the bare, child-proof basics of how Vikings lived back then. And... dragons are a good plot device in a children's movie, too.
Works Cited:
How to Train Your Dragon (2010) DreamWorks
Bennett, Judith M. Medieval Europe: A Short History. McGraw-Hill, 2011.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/03/vikings-ship-burials-battle-reenactor/
I remember going to see this movie in theaters back in 2010. Even though this version of the Vikings is totally "Disney-fied," 10 year old me thought the outfits, accents, and adventures they went on were SO cool. Great review, Claire!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kate! I was just telling my friend how I can't believe it's been out for eight years already! Although most of the movie they were in their village there was a short amount of time where a small group of them left the village on a ship for an adventure. You can't have Vikings without ships!
DeleteWhen the movie came out, of course I did the sensible thing and bought the books! Honestly, the movies are better. They changed very thing except some characters names and vague plot points. (no Astrid! Instead a girl named Kamikaze?) despite them totally not being accurate (even in clothing), I love it.
DeleteI will be honest I never thought that I would be making a history connect with a animated film. It is so crazy how even though the whole plot doesn't go with true history it outlines so true history also.I really liked how you explained everything.
DeleteThis is one of my all time favorite movies. I didn’t know there were books though! I’ll definitely have to check those out. I wish they could make a Disney movie that was as close to spot on accurate and STILL be as lovable as this movie.
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