Miller, William Ian. Bergthora vs. Hallgerd, Part I. The Theory: Chapters 35–45

• Author: Miller, William Ian
• Title: Bergthora vs. Hallgerd, Part I. The Theory: Chapters 35–45
• Published in: Why Is Your Axe Bloody?: A Reading of Njáls Saga
• Place, Publisher: New York: Oxford University Press
• Year: 2014
• Pages: 73-87
• E-text:
• Reference: Miller, William Ian. Why Is Your Axe Bloody?: A Reading of Njáls Saga. New York: Oxford University Press, 2014.

---

• Key words:

Annotation

In this chapter Miller examines the logic behind the killings initiated by Hallgerðr and Bergþóra, offering his balanced-exchange model, which he initially introduced in Bloodtaking and Peacemaking. He argues that the feud process was meant to achieve balance between both sides, and that payment for an injury could be done through money and through blood, but the latter was a more trustworthy form of ‘currency’. Miller argues that the balance-exchange model was hardly perfect and criticized by the author of Njáls saga, since ‘getting even’ usually implies overcoming your enemies rather than achieving a true balance with them. Miller also looks at the killing of Sigmundr by Skarphéðinn in relation to the feud.

Lýsing

Í kaflanum lítur Miller á rökvísina að baki húskarlavíganna í gegnum jafnvægis módelið sem hann bjó til og kynnti upphaflega í Bloodtaking and Peacemaking. Hann heldur því fram að deiluferlið hafi átt að koma á jafnvægi milli deiluaðila, gjald fyrir áverka var hægt að borga bæði í peningum og blóði en hið síðarnefnda þótti traustari gjaldmiðill. Hann segir að jafnvægis kerfið hafi ekki verið fullkomið og gagnrýnt af höfundi Njálu þar sem hefndin fól í sér sigur yfir andstæðingum sínum frekar en að ná sáttum. Miller greinir einnig morð Skarphéðins á Sigmundi í samhengi deilna.

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 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. 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

• Miller, William Ian. Bloodtaking and peacemaking: Feud, law, and society in Saga Iceland

References

Chapter 36: „Hvað fé er það, faðir?“: "But the cleverest and most devastating critique the author (of Njála) makes is one that reveals the conflicting incentives generated by paying compensation, rather than taking blood revenge instead. He severely undermines the idea that feud can be settled with money or property rather than blood. He shows that compensation, unless the specie is blood or exile, is at its core self-contradicting." (p. 79).

Chapter 37: Svo gættu þeir til á þeim misserum: "… actual Icelandic feuding and the model made it preferable for revenge to be served up cold; take your time and think. Only the stupid hit back right away, governed by anger; the wise avenger takes his time, as do Bergthora and Hallgerd, each cooly waiting a year." (p. 87).

Links

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