In Neil Gaiman’s novel American Gods, Mr. Wednesday represents the Norse god Odin.
Mr. Wednesday is a mysterious older traveler who recruits Shadow Moon for a dangerous journey across the United States. His identity is gradually revealed as Odin, the Norse god associated with wisdom, war, poetry, magic, and the dead.
The novel places ancient deities in a modern American setting, where their strength depends on belief and attention. Wednesday’s schemes center on a conflict between older immigrant gods and newer figures created by modern culture and technology.
The name “Wednesday” is a clue: the English weekday name derives from “Woden’s day,” and Woden is the Old English form of Odin’s name. Gaiman’s version draws on traditional myths but adapts them into an original contemporary fantasy plot, so it should not be treated as a straightforward retelling of the Eddas.