Miller, William Ian. Revenge for Gunnar: Chapters 77–81

• Author: Miller, William Ian
• Title: Revenge for Gunnar: Chapters 77–81
• Published in: Why Is Your Axe Bloody?: A Reading of Njáls Saga
• Place, Publisher: New York: Oxford University Press
• Year: 2014
• Pages: 144-52
• E-text:
• Reference: Miller, William Ian. Why Is Your Axe Bloody?: A Reading of Njáls Saga. New York: Oxford University Press, 2014.

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Annotation

In this chapter Miller analyses the politics of feud and the decisions behind choosing the target. He discusses Gunnar and Njáll‘s imposing power over their district, to the extent that their Goðar are not clearly designated in the saga. This power must be re-affirmed following Gunnar’s death, and Miller describes how Njáll and his family take over the region. Njáll‘s positive reputation is discussed as a manipulated image he constructs. Finally, the chapter is concluded with a discussion of the pros and cons of the envy that Gunnar inspired in others, and that finally led to his death.

Links

• Written by: Yoav Tirosh
• Icelandic/English translation: