McTurk, Rory W. The supernatural in Njáls saga

• Author: McTurk, Rory
• Title: The Supernatural in Njáls saga: a narratological approach
• Place, Publisher:
• Year: 1992
• Pages: 120-124
• E-text: http://vsnrweb-publications.org.uk/Introductory%20essays%20on%20egils%20saga%20and%20njals%20saga.pdf
• Reference: McTurk, Rory. "The Supernatural in Njáls saga: a narratological approach." Introductory Essays on Egils saga and Njáls saga, pp. 102-24. London: Viking Society for Northern Research, 1992

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• Key words:

Annotation

McTurk applies a narratological approach to supernatural events that take place in Njáls saga and which he divides in the following three groups: 1) prophecies that come true, 2) retrocognitive, telepathic, and precognitive intimations, dreams, and visions, 3) remarkable happenings for which no physical cause is apparent (p. 105). The supernatural occurrences in Njáls saga are discussed by McTurk, by focusing on the different levels and degrees of narrative and focalization. He argues that those supernatural events in Njáls saga, which are narrated on the first level as well as focalized on the the first degree, which means accounts of supernatural events given by the anonymous narrator of the saga without referring to witnesses, which are therefore also described as objectivist statements, are for the most part concerned with the Christianization in Iceland.

Lýsing

McTurk beitir frásagnafræðilegri nálgun á yfirnáttúrulega atburði í Njáls sögu sem hann skiptir í eftirfarandi þrjá flokka: 1) spádómar sem rætast, 2) retrocognitive, fjarskynjun, og ófresk vísbendingar, draumar, og sýnir, 3) merkilegar uppákomur sem engin náttúruleg skýring er á (p. 105). McTurk ræðir ítarlega yfirnáttúrulegu atvikin í Njáls sögu með áherslu á mismunandi stig frásagna og sjónbeiningar Hann rökstyður að þeir yfirnáttúrulegu atburðir í Njáls sögu, sem eru bæði sagðir og sýndir á fyrsta stigi, sem merkir að nafnlausi sögumaður Njáls sögu segir frá atburðunum án þess að vísa til annarra vitna, sem er því einnig kallað hlutlægar yfirlýsingar, eiga samkvæmt McTurk að mestu leyti við kristnitöku á Íslandi.

References

Chapter 101:“What has emerged from the present study […] is that in Njáls saga, where the supernatural is concerned, objectivist statements are for the most part reserved for accounts of supernatural events of specifically Christian significance.” (p. 121–2).  

Links

• Written by:'Romina Werth'
• Icelandic/English translation: