Miller, William Ian. Kari and Friends: Chapters 145–55

• Author: Miller, William Ian
• Title: Kari and Friends: Chapters 145–55
• Published in: Why Is Your Axe Bloody?: A Reading of Njáls Saga
• Place, Publisher: New York: Oxford University Press
• Year: 2014
• Pages: 276-93
• 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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• Key words:

Annotation

The chapter begins with a legal and literary analysis of the agreement achieved through arbitration that follows the battle at the Alþingi, and Síðu-Hallr‘s waiving of compensation for the death of his son and subsequent reward. Miller then explains Kári and Þorgeirr skorargeirr’s continued vengeance against the burners as their need to balance both sides’ death toll, and why Kári insists that Þorgeirr accept Síðu-Hallr‘s offer of a settlement. Björn í Mörk‘s character and comic role in the saga are than evaluated favorably. Miller then looks at Kári‘s grief, suggests that Kári’s violence is a response to “survivor’s guilt”, and compares Kári and Gunnarr, offering that their differences stem from them operating in different genres. The chapter than concludes with Miller explaining Flosi and Njáls saga’s author’s appreciation of Kári.

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. 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. How Not to End a Saga, Unless...: Chapters 146–59
• Miller, William Ian. A Conclusion: Justice and Exits

References

Chapter 139: halda upp fébótum: "As long as the victor still figures he might have to pay the loser for his losses, we have not fully abandoned the world of feud for the world of war, even though the saga shows things moving in that direction." (p. 278).

Chapter 145: að renna eigi frá: "Kari is not at ease over surviving the Burning. He was not only outmanned by Skarphedin (who isn't?), as we saw, but also tellingly by his little boy Thord, who chose not to flee the flames, … . That it is not overreading to suggest that Kari might be motivated to overkill in order to kill his shame (or in modern jargon, his 'survivor's guilt') is that others accuse him of flight and cowardice." (p. 288).

Links

• Written by: Yoav Tirosh
• Icelandic/English translation: