posted on the web. All of this considered will make it possible to achieve the main objective of the work: to verify whether Lagertha’s character matches the public’s perception of her, with the first two sections being those that allow the character to become known, and the last part gives access to the opinion of followers.

3. Lagertha: the archetype of a Viking woman in the golden age of television

Vikings narrates the legend of Ragnar Lodbrok, who represents the myth of the self-made man: an intrepid warrior who gradually rises up the social ladder thanks to his skill as a strategist. On the contrary, his wife Lagertha, who is the object of study of this work, is presented in the first scenes as a mother who takes care of the household chores. Indeed, throughout the series, Lagertha mainly assumes the role of Ragnar’s lover, to whom she professes unconditional love; and if on several occasions she shows that she also possesses talent as a warrior, this side seems to have been forgotten by her closest circle when she becomes a married woman and a mother. This fact is seen, for example, when Ragnar’s brother refers to her squire skills as a past occupation (1x01, “Rites of Passage”).

At the same time, if the character at times shows signs of independence, her decisions are taken according to her husband’s wishes, since her thirst for adventure is not satisfied until he gives his consent (1x03, “Dispossessed”). In this episode, she is seen for the first time dressed as a squire when Ragnar allows her to go on raids in England. However, the top priority stated by Lagertha is to please her husband, and in order for him to feel complete, he needs to have offspring. In this regard, as Ragnar already has the title of Count in these episodes, does not feel content because Lagertha has had a failed pregnancy; and therefore, he is reluctant toward her. That being said, after a few episodes of agony over the situation, she takes refuge in her religious beliefs and asks her gods to give Ragnar a son. Her prayers are answered: Ragnar becomes a father again, but with another woman: Aslaug, a völva capable of predicting the future. In the second season, Lagertha finds out from her son, Bjorn, about his father’s adultery with Aslaug, an infidelity she forgives after a brief period of anger. Nevertheless, the mistress appears in the village pregnant, and after an initial shock, in a gesture that seems to be out of self-respect, she leaves Ragnar and abandons Kattegat with her son (2x01, “Brother´s War”). However, in a later gathering, Lagertha affectionately greets the children of Aslaug and Ragnar, proudly telling the children that she always knew she would meet more of Ragnar’s children, as the gods had told her (2x05, “Answers in Blood”). That is the reason why she shows her abandonment as proof of her love toward Ragnar, so that another woman could have the children she could not give him. At the same time, this season introduces a temporary jump of four years, during which time Lagertha climbs the social ladder thanks to another marriage to a Duke.

In this set of episodes, Bjorn learns of the assault on her father’s lands, and Lagertha, in a seductive manner, tries to get the support of her new husband and his men to go forth and help Ragnar. The request is rejected. Confronted with this refusal and her husband’s obvious jealousy, Lagertha goes to assist Ragnar without permission. This action costs her a beating on her return by her husband’s men, who later try to humiliate her in a public act, an event in which he ends up being killed by Lagertha, who consequently obtains the position of Countess. However, it is later discovered that Lagertha had additional support in carrying out the plan: Einar, a member of a powerful family from her new county will later demand the enjoyment of her body in exchange for helping her. Lagertha later denies the promise, and after she does some flirting,