Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir. Women's Weapons

• Author: Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir
• Title: Women's Weapons: A Re-Evaluation of Magic in the Íslendingasögur
• Published in: Scandinavian Studies 81/4
• Year: 2009
• Pages: 409-36
• E-text: ProQuest
• Reference: Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir. "Women's Weapons: A Re-Evaluation of Magic in the Íslendingasögur." Scandinavian Studies 81/4 (2009): 409-36.

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Annotation

Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir defines magic, as it appears in many of the Íslendingasögur, as any supernatural event caused by a saga character in a number of different ways for numerous purposes. This article argues that women‘s use of magic in the Íslendingasögur is not an attempt to accurately depict Iceland‘s pagan past, but rather a literary motif used primarily to foreshadow subsequent events, and as a device to confer agency upon otherwise marginalized female characters. A chronological transition from the former to the latter can also be seen in earlier and later sagas. Women‘s use of magic in Njal‘s saga is primarily used to foreshadow important events and to create a sense of forboding. The article highlights two key events in the saga: Sæunn‘s prophecy predicting the burning of Bergþórshváll; and Queen Gunnhild‘s curse upon Hrutr.

Lýsing

Texta vantar

References

Chapter 6: þá legg eg það á : “Although less alliterative and rhythmic, it is clear from the use of the verb leggja á (“to lay a spell on”) that this utterance is explicity a curse and it is reminiscent of the Celtic geis, which is a command or injunction, usually laid by a woman on a man to force or prohibit him to act. The result is drastic for Hrutr: the curse, the audience is led to believe, causes marital problems and finally Hrutr’s divorce from Unnr, which of course has wider implications for the central feud in the saga.” (p. 421)

Chapter 124: hún mælti margt en þó gekk það sumt eftir : “Sæunn is an old woman whom Njall's sons call senile; however, the saga states that most of what she says comes true and this cynical outlook is characteristic of Njáll’s sons rather than representing the Íslendingasögur‘s general attitude. Prophecies are normally proved right, since otherwise they would hardly be worth mentioning, and thus they function primarily to foreshadow future events and create suspense.” (p. 424)

Links

• Written by: Olivia Elliott Smith
• Icelandic/English translation: