# The Wake of Freya explained — Lavengro

> Chapter companion for Lavengro by George Borrow.

## What happens

In a summer evening garden, Lavengro's parents discuss his lack of discrimination in his legal apprenticeship, which leads to a story from his mother about a childhood ceremony—the 'Wake of Freya'—a pagan invocation to the Norse goddess Freya, which Lavengro had explained to her as a relic of Danish worship.

## Themes in this chapter

### Religion and Priestcraft

The mother's story reveals a pagan ceremony invoking Freya, which Lavengro interprets as a relic of Danish worship, contrasting with Christian norms.

### Philology and Learning

Lavengro's knowledge of Old Norse and his explanation of the ceremony's origins demonstrate his philological interests.

## Character check-ins

### Lavengro

Discussed as having a total want of discrimination in his legal work; also credited with explaining the Norse origins of the 'Wake of Freya' ceremony.

### The Landlord

Mentioned as Mr. S⸺, Lavengro's master, who describes him as a 'remarkable youth' but lacking discrimination.

## Key lines

> I am afraid that I have not acted very wisely in putting this boy of ours to the law

Lavengro's father worries that apprenticing him to a lawyer was a mistake.

_Opening concern about Lavengro's suitability for legal work._

> It appears that the lad has a total want of discrimination.

Lavengro's master says he lacks the ability to distinguish between people of different social ranks.

_Key criticism from Mr. S⸺ about Lavengro's professional flaw._

> He says that this Freya was not only a very comely woman, but also particularly neat in her person, and that she invariably went dressed in snow-white linen.

Lavengro explains that the Norse goddess Freya was beautiful and always wore white linen.

_Lavengro's learned explanation of the pagan goddess._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/lavengro_se/chapters/xx
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/lavengro_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/lavengro_se/chapters