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.

Lýsing

Í kaflanum greinir Miller pólitík deilunnar og varpar ljósi á hvernig skotspænir voru valdir. Hann fjallar um vald Gunnars og Njáls á suðurlandinu sem var svo mikið að goðar eru ekki greinilega nefndir í sögunni. Eftir dauða Gunnars er valdajafnvæginu raskað, Miller lýsir því hvernig Njáll og fjölskylda hans draga til sín völd eftir dauða Gunnars og yfirtaka suðurlandið. Jákvæð ímynd Njáls er rædd í kaflanum og hvernig hún virðist vera búin til af ásettu ráði. Í lok kaflans er rætt um kosti og galla öfundarinnar sem Gunnar vakti í öðrum og leiddi að lokum til dauða hans.

See also

• Miller, William Ian. Why is Your Axe Bloody?
• Miller, William Ian. Njála’s Unity Problem and the Very Beginning: Chapter 1
• Miller, William Ian. Marriage Formation and Dissolution: Chapters 2–34
• Miller, William Ian. Making a Scene: Chapters 34–5, 48
• Miller, William Ian. Looking Forward: Njal’s Prescience: Chapters 22–3
• Miller, William Ian. Bergthora vs. Hallgerd, Part I. The Theory: Chapters 35–45
• Miller, William Ian. Bergthora vs. Hallgerd, Part II: Some Facts
• Miller, William Ian. Otkel vs. Gunnar: Chapters 46–56
• Miller, William Ian. Gunnar vs. the Thrihyrning People: Chapters 57–66
• Miller, William Ian. The Two Thorgeirs and Death of Gunnar: Chapters 67–77
• Miller, William Ian. The Atlantic Interlude and Hrapp: Chapters 82–9
• Miller, William Ian. Setting up Thrain: Chapters 90–2
• Miller, William Ian. A Tale of Two Hoskulds: Chapters 93–9
• Miller, William Ian. Conversion and the Genius of the Law: Chapters 100–6
• Miller, William Ian. Valgard ‘the Wise’ and Hoskuld’s Blood: Chapters 107–16
• Miller, William Ian. Skarphedin Ascendans, Flosi’s Ninth Nights: Chapters 117–23
• Miller, William Ian. The Burning: Chapters 124–32
• Miller, William Ian. Preparation for the Next Althing: Chapters 132–7
• Miller, William Ian. The Trial of Flosi and the Battle: Chapters 135, 141–5
• Miller, William Ian. Kari and Friends: Chapters 145–55
• Miller, William Ian. How Not to End a Saga, Unless...: Chapters 146–59
• Miller, William Ian. A Conclusion: Justice and Exits

References

Chapter 78: drepa menn nokkura í hefnd eftir hann.: “There is obviously no right to such revenge; should they pursue it they would leave themselves open to outlawry for taking it. But Njal believes that they can get away with it because, for one, Gunnar is too grand a man to die unavenged, so that there would be a kind of higher aesthetic justice served by avenging such as he, the law be damned. “ (p. 145).

Links

• Written by: Yoav Tirosh
• Icelandic translation: Andri M. Kristjánsson