Miller, William Ian. The Burning: Chapters 124–32

• Author: Miller, William Ian
• Title: The Burning: Chapters 124–32
• Published in: Why Is Your Axe Bloody?: A Reading of Njáls Saga
• Place, Publisher: New York: Oxford University Press
• Year: 2014
• Pages: 222-47
• 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

Miller begins the chapter by describing both sides’ preparations for the attack. He then analyses the logic behind Njáll advocating that his sons defend from inside rather than outside. Njáll, argues Miller, wants his sons inside the house because he wants them to burn, and he wants them to be obedient to his commands again. However, he still wants that himself and his wife, and by necessity his sons as well, be avenged. Miller then discusses the taking-to-bed ritual and how Njáll manipulates it to incite vengeance. Skarpheðinn‘s death and character are also discussed at length, as are Flosi and Þórhallr Ásgrímsson‘s characters post-burning. The chapter ends with a few further comments about the burning, and then a summarization of the family dynamics in Bergþórshvoll that led to the killing of Höskuldr and to the burning.

Lýsing

Miller byrjar kaflann á því að lýsa undirbúningi beggja fylkinga fyrir árásina og greinir rökvísina á bak við ákvörðun Njáls um að verjast innandyra frekar en utandyra. Hann segir Njáll vilji að synir sínir brenni og að hann viljir að þeir hlýði skipunum hans á ný, aftur á móti vill hann að einhver hefni fyrir verknaðinn. Í framhaldinu ræðir hann hvernig Njáll notfærir sér minnið um að leggjast í rekkju til þess að hvetja aðra til hefnda. Fjallað er um persónu Skarphéðins og dauða hans í smáatriðum sem og hegðun Flosa og Þórhalls Ásgrímssonar eftir brennuna. Kaflinn endar á athugasemdum um brennuna sjálfa og samantekt á spennunni innan fjölskyldunnar að Bergþórshvoli sem leiddi til dauða Höskuldar.

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. Revenge for Gunnar: Chapters 77–81
• 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. 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 129: lítt til búinn að hefna sona minna; „ Njal wants his sons dead, he wants them obedient as they had always been except for one rebellious deed, and he wants them avenged; or more precisely, he wants his own and Bergthora’s deaths avenged, and knows that it will be impossible not to have those vengeances also accrue to his sons.“ (p. 231).

Links

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