Kanerva, Kirsi. Hyvä ja paha viha,

• Author: Kanerva, Kirsi
• Title: Hyvä ja paha viha
• Published in: Hyvä elämä keskiajalla
• Editors: Marko Lamberg and Kirsi Kanerva
• Place, Publisher: Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura
• Year: 2014
• Pages: 209-240
• E-text: academia.edu
• Reference: Kanerva, Kirsi. "Hyvä ja paha viha." Hyvä elämä keskiajalla. Ed. Marko Lamberg and Kirsi Kanerva. Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura, 2014: 209-240.

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Annotation

The article focuses on the signs of anger, indicated by saga characters such as Skarpheðinn and Gunnar. Anger interplays with the socio-cultural reality and norm codes in medieval Iceland, where strong, emotional outbursts were considered as abnormal. The article argues that although explicit, dramatic displays of feelings are rarely present in the sagas, the anger-related behaviour patterns can be found both in Njáls saga and Egils saga. Anger is mostly expressed non-verbally, and would rather be reflected in one’s behaviour than through words. Appearance can give away emotions and, as Kanerva shows, also intentions. Furthermore, Kanerva notes the relation between anger and physical illness: Þórhallur’s anger, for example, causes his leg to swell.

When a male character has revenge on his mind, he is often depicted as being so deep in the state of anger he cannot speak. A common motif shows a character biting his lip or turning red or pale in his face (a subtle bodily response to angriness) before proceeding to commit acts of violence. Subsequently, these facial expressions linked to anger can be taken as predictors for hostility, although it might take some time for the actual violence to occur.

Kanerva views anger as an essential part of maintaining order in the honour-based society. She also discusses the difference between bad anger and noble anger. Noble anger is a natural reflex to triggering events such as the killing of one’s kinsmen. This type of anger is restrained, controlled, and somewhat hidden, and will not surface unless it calls for action. It will not show in any somatic way, but manifests itself later on in the narrative as a rightful, justified deed – a necessary action for defending family honour. Anger-management plays an important role in Njáls saga, where the balance between honour and shame is constantly tested and even compromised. Kanerva points out that Hávamál’s ethics accept anger only when directed to enemies. If someone does the saga hero wrong, angriness and blood-vengeance will be the most likely consequences.

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• Written by: Jenni Penttilä
• Icelandic/English translation: