Ármann Jakobsson. The Specter of Old Age

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  • Author: Ármann Jakobsson
  • Title: The Specter of Old Age: Nasty Old Men in the Sagas of Icelanders
  • Published in: Journal of English and Germanic Philology 104/3
  • Year: 2005
  • Pages: 297-325
  • E-text: n/a
  • Reference: Ármann Jakobsson. "The Specter of Old Age: Nasty Old Men in the Sagas of Icelanders." Journal of English and Germanic Philology 104/3 (2005): 297-325.

  • Key words: social reality, literary elements, characterization (þjóðfélagsmynd, persónusköpun, bókmenntaleg einkenni)


Annotation

Explores the medieval concept of old age, whereby old people were virtually equated with ghosts, and the key strategies of saga heroes, particularly Thorolf Lame-foot of Eyrbyggja saga and Egil, in dealing with their old age. With age, Egil’s negative characteristics worsen – a family trait, seen especially in old Skallagrim’s violent nature. Jakobsson provides examples of how the elderly Egil is marginalised by his family and society and of his bitterness and resentment of other people’s youth. Egil’s desire to be in the warmth of the kitchen in his old age is put in the context of food as a motif in the saga. The possible significance of vomiting or starving is discussed, particularly the way food-control seems a rather feminine tactic for a would-be warrior hero, and its relation to the concept of the mead of poetry explored.

Lýsing

Ármann fjallar um hugtakið elli, eins og það var skilið á miðöldum, en þá lét nærri að gömlu fólki væri jafnað við drauga. Hann kannar sérstaklega hvernig hetjur Íslendingasagna, einkum Þórólfur bægifótur í Eyrbyggju og Egill Skallagrímsson, bregðast við ellinni. Eftir því sem Egill eldist ágerast þeir brestir sem búa í persónuleika hans og fylgja karlleggnum í ætt hans, eins og kemur skýrt fram í lýsingum á ofbeldishneigð Skallagríms. Ármann tekur dæmi af því hvernig Egill er sniðgenginn á efri árum af fjölskyldu sinni og samfélaginu, auk þess sem biturleiki hans í garð þeirra sem yngri eru bætir ekki úr skák. Löngun hins aldraða Egils til að ylja sér við eldana í eldhúsinu er tengd því mikilvæga hlutverki sem matur gegnir í sögunni. Rætt er um mögulega merkingu uppkasta og sveltis Egils, bæði í ljósi frásagnarinnar um skáldamjöðinn en einnig í ljósi þess að það sé heldur kvenlegt af hinni meintu hetju að nota mat til að stjórna umhverfinu.

See also

References

Chapter 88: bergi fótar: “Egill Skalla-Grímsson is literally impotent, but mentally perhaps less so than many others of his age, since at least he is able to compose a skaldic poem about the limpness of his penis” (p. 316).

Links

  • Written by: Jane Appleton
  • Icelandic translation: Jón Karl Helgason