Miller, William Ian. The central feud in Njáls saga: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 41: | Line 41: | ||
marriage is Þráinn’s wife. She invokes this bond when she asks Þráinn to kill Þórðr.” | marriage is Þráinn’s wife. She invokes this bond when she asks Þráinn to kill Þórðr.” | ||
[https://wikisaga.hi.is/index.php?title=Nj%C3%A1la,_043 Chapter 43], p. 295, ÍF p. 111: | [https://wikisaga.hi.is/index.php?title=Nj%C3%A1la,_043 Chapter 43], p. 295, ÍF p. 111: „'''Mikils þótti þeim við þurfa,” segir Skarphéðinn; „en hvar skal þá komit, er | ||
vér skulum handa hefja?”''' : „The killing of Þórðr leysingjason (Freedmanson), | vér skulum handa hefja?”''' : „The killing of Þórðr leysingjason (Freedmanson), | ||
fosterfather to the Njálssons, however, is a critical event in the escalation of the feud; his | fosterfather to the Njálssons, however, is a critical event in the escalation of the feud; his | ||
| Line 48: | Line 48: | ||
recruitment to the feud will soon follow.” | recruitment to the feud will soon follow.” | ||
Chapter 94: | [https://wikisaga.hi.is/index.php?title=Nj%C3%A1la,_094 Chapter 94], p. 302, ÍF p. 236-237: „'''Veit ek, at Skarpheðinn vá hann, ok þurfu vit ekki á þat at minnask, er | ||
sætzk hefir á verit ok fullar bœtr hafa fyrir komit”: „The son would be expected to | sætzk hefir á verit ok fullar bœtr hafa fyrir komit”''': „The son would be expected to | ||
avenge his father and the sagas are full of such examples. This is why Njáll questions | avenge his father and the sagas are full of such examples. This is why Njáll questions | ||
Hǫskuldr closely before adopting him. Hǫskuldr gives Njáll the answer he is looking | Hǫskuldr closely before adopting him. Hǫskuldr gives Njáll the answer he is looking | ||
for.” | for.” | ||
Chapter 145: víg Skarpheðins skyldi jafnt ok víg Hǫskulds Hvítanessgoða: „Community | [https://wikisaga.hi.is/index.php?title=Nj%C3%A1la,_145 Chapter 145], p. 311, ÍF | ||
p. 413: '''víg Skarpheðins skyldi jafnt ok víg Hǫskulds Hvítanessgoða''': „Community | |||
ambivalence is given concrete expression a year after Hǫskuldr’s death when the lives of | ambivalence is given concrete expression a year after Hǫskuldr’s death when the lives of | ||
Skarpheðinn and Hǫskuldr are valued equally and set off against each other.” | Skarpheðinn and Hǫskuldr are valued equally and set off against each other.” | ||
Revision as of 20:46, 10 November 2015
- Author: Miller, William Ian
- Title: The Central Feud in Njáls Saga
- Published in: Sagas of the Icelanders
- Editors: John Tucker
- Place, Publisher: New York and London: Garland Publishing INC.
- Year: 1989
- Pages: 292-322
- E-text:
- Reference: Miller, William Ian. „The Central Feud in Njáls Saga.” Sagas of the
Icelanders. Eds. John Tucker, New York and London: Garland Publishing INC, 1989, pp. 292-322
- Key words: feud, balance-sheet model, vinátta, liability, power
Annotation
The article, which is an analytic reading of Njáls saga, explores the aspects of the feud between the Sígfussons and the people at Bergþórsváll. Miller suggests that the saga author set up a balance-sheet model of the bloodfeud, which is the main construct in the regard of power and politics competition. The first part of the article deals with this model, and focuses on the feud between Njáll’s and Gunnarr’s household, Þráinn’s liability, Hǫskuldr Njálsson’s death, as well as the role of Skarpheðinn and Njáll’s role as a peacemaker regarding with the fostering of Hǫskuldr Hvítanessgoði. The second part of the article focuses on the power in the district after Gunnarr’s death. In connection Miller brings his thoughts further with the killing of Hǫskuldr Njálsson by Lýtingr and Mǫrðr’s alliance with the Njálssynir.
Lýsing
See also
References
Chapter 41, p. 296, ÍF p. 107: „Mágr þœtti mér þú vera,” segir hon, „ef þú dræpir Þórð leysingjason.” : „Þráinn is obligated to Hallgerðr in her own right silence her daughter by a prior marriage is Þráinn’s wife. She invokes this bond when she asks Þráinn to kill Þórðr.”
Chapter 43, p. 295, ÍF p. 111: „Mikils þótti þeim við þurfa,” segir Skarphéðinn; „en hvar skal þá komit, er vér skulum handa hefja?” : „The killing of Þórðr leysingjason (Freedmanson), fosterfather to the Njálssons, however, is a critical event in the escalation of the feud; his death draws men of the warrior class into the fray. When Skarpheðinn hears of Þórðr’s death he is no longer amused: „but what has to happen before we strike?” His recruitment to the feud will soon follow.”
Chapter 94, p. 302, ÍF p. 236-237: „Veit ek, at Skarpheðinn vá hann, ok þurfu vit ekki á þat at minnask, er sætzk hefir á verit ok fullar bœtr hafa fyrir komit”: „The son would be expected to avenge his father and the sagas are full of such examples. This is why Njáll questions Hǫskuldr closely before adopting him. Hǫskuldr gives Njáll the answer he is looking for.”
Chapter 145, p. 311, ÍF p. 413: víg Skarpheðins skyldi jafnt ok víg Hǫskulds Hvítanessgoða: „Community ambivalence is given concrete expression a year after Hǫskuldr’s death when the lives of Skarpheðinn and Hǫskuldr are valued equally and set off against each other.”
Links
- Written by:Viktória Gyönki
- Icelandic/English translation:
