Axel Kristinsson. Sagas and politics in 13th century Borgarfjörður

• Author: Axel Kristinsson
• Title: Sagas and politics in 13th century Borgarfjörður
• Published in: Sagas & Societies. International conference at Borgarnes, Iceland, September 5.-9. 2002
• Editors: Stefanie Würth, Tõnno Jonuks, Axel Kristinsson
• Place, Publisher: Tübingen: Skandinavistik, Universität Tübingen
• Year: 2002
• Pages: 14
• E-text: Tobias-Lib
• Reference: Axel Kristinsson. "Sagas and politics in 13th century Borgarfjörður." Sagas & Societies. International conference at Borgarnes, Iceland, September 5.-9. 2002. Eds. Stefanie Würth, Tõnno Jonuks, Axel Kristinsson. Tübingen: Skandinavistik, Universität Tübingen. 14 pp.

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• Key words: History, social reality (sagnfræði, félagslegur veruleiki)

Annotation

An investigation of the politics behind four family sagas set in Borgarfjörður: Egils saga, Bjarnar saga Hítdælakappa, Hænsa-Þóris saga and Gunnlaugs saga ormstungu. These sagas unfold in the "saga period" past but may be interpreted as reflecting the changing social and political situation in 13th century Borgarfjörður: they are motivated, at least in part, by their authors' desire to "enhance solidarity and a sense of common identity" within specific political units (e.g., chieftaincies and principalities) and even to manipulate history to reinforce their own status and power.

Lýsing

Rannsókn á pólitíkinni að baki ritun fjögurra Íslendingasagna sem hafa Borgarfjörð sem sögusvið: Egils sögu, Bjarnar sögu Hítdælakappa, Hænsa-Þóris sögu og Gunnlaugs sögu ormstungu. Sögurnar gerast á "söguöld" en unnt er að líta svo á að þær endurspegli breytingar á félagslegum og pólitískum veruleika í Borgarfirði á þrettándu öld. Þær eru að minnsta kosti mótaðar af löngun höfunda til að skapa einingu og sameiginlega sjálfsmynd meðal tiltekinna þjóðfélagshópa (t.d. ráðandi stétta höfðingjaveldisins) og jafnvel að endurtúlka söguna til að festa sig og völd sín í sessi.

References

Chapter 28: nam Skalla-Grímur land: "The extension of Skallagrímur’s land-taking may thus reflect Snorri’s ambitions rather than the actual extent of his power." (p. 6).

Links

• Written by: Katelin Parsons
• Icelandic translation: Jón Karl Helgason