Ódinn is the father of all gods and men, and the husband of Frigg. Ódinn usually appeared as a graybearded man, sometimes tall and thin, with a blue-black cloak and an eye patch or wide-brimmed hat tilted to hid his missing eye. Ódinn lived at Valhöll. He has the casting spear Gungnir, with which he dooms his chosen ones to die in battle. This spear throwing was not only done by Ódinn; men would give Ódinn their enemies by throwing a spear over them. Ódinn had two wolves, Geri and freki (the names mean "the Greedy"), two ravens Huginn ("the Thoughtful") and Muninn ("the Mindful"), who tell him everything they see and hear. Ódinn also has a gray, eight-legged horse called Sleipnir.

Ódinn was originally a god of death, who later came to encompass magic, battle, poetry and the fury of the berserk-warrior. Ódinn is the leader of the Wild Hunt; he also brings fruitfulness to fields. Ódinn is the one who seems to take the most active part in the affairs of humans, and the one who appears most often in the writings of the Germanic people. Ódinn is assisted by the valkyrjur who work his will on the battlefield. His purpose is always clear; to strengthen the hosts of the gods for the last battle so that life and knowledge can be preserved and the new world born after the old is destroyed.

Ódinn is known as the chief of gods, although historical accounts of Germanic religion do not necessarily support this. Germanic religion dismisses this notion because Ódinn was primarily worshiped by kings and vikings, thus there are more stories of Thor. This difference between the cults of the masses and the kings and Vikings was common in antiquity.

Ódinn, had many romantic affairs. These were often for political gain rather than love. Ódinn courted" Gunnlöd to get the "mead" of poetry. Ódinn also had an affair to produce his sons Vídar and Váli, who avenged for the Gods when they fallen at Ragnarök.

Ódinn often went on journeys, and it is said that he was twice exiled when he was young. On these journeys he would often disguise himself and change his name. Generally he would put on a green coat, a hat and a mask. Ódinn did also know how to change his form. He could change his body into a bird or a beast, fish or a worm. The most famous of these journeys are the stories Grímnismál and Vafţrúdnismál.

Ódinns search for knowledge.

Ódinn is said to know all, but his search for knowledge never stopped. Ódinn learnt the runes, that is the power of magic, by hanging in a tree for nine days and nights, wounded with his own spear. The pains that Ódinn went through are a well-known rite, a kind of initiation. These initiations, which often includes faking ones death and then resurrecting as a fully-grown man, are well known among tribes all over the earth. Some think that the story of Ódinn hanging in the tree is an imitation (of the story) of Christ on the cross. The runes were not the only thing Ódinn learnt during this tree hanging ceremony. He also learnt nine fimbulljód, very powerful incantations. With these incantations he could do many things. These "poems", which were sung, were later called magic. Ódinn was also a sorcerer. Ódinn's knowledge made him very powerful but not all-powerful. Ódinn was above all a powerful warlock. In his never ending search for wisdom Ódinn often sought the enemies of the Gods for help. Once Ódinn even gave up one eye for a drink from the Well of Mímir (the name is thought to mean, "to puzzle over" or "memory"). Since then Ódinn has only one eye, and the eye he gave rests at the bottom of Mímir's well. Mímir was later killed and his head cut off. Ódinn scavenged the head and obtained great wisdom from it. Often when Ódinn is in trouble he asks the head for advice. He won the "mead "of poetry by seducing the giant-maid Gunnlödur who had been set to keep it. He slept with her for three nights and in return was allowed to drink three drinks from the three cauldrons (Ódrerir, Bodn and Són); he of course emptied them all. Sometimes Ódinn went to prophetess of Jötunn's lineage to gain knowledge. When he thought that Ragnarök were coming he went to seek out a prophetess who told him the Völuspá. If Ódinn wanted to know what was happening in the world, he asked his ravens Huginn and Muninn what they have heard. But if he wanted to see for himself what was happening he would go to his throne Hlidkjálf from where he can see the entire world.