O'Donoghue, Heather. Women in Njáls saga: Difference between revisions

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* '''Reference''': O' Donoghue, Heather, "Women in ''Njàls Saga''", ''Introductory Essays on Egils Saga and Njàls Saga'', in: Hines, John, Slay, Desmond (Eds.) ''Introductory Essays on Egils Saga and Njàls Saga'', Oxford University, The Viking Society for Northern Research in London, 1992; pp.83-92
* '''Reference''': O' Donoghue, Heather, "Women in ''Njàls Saga''", ''Introductory Essays on Egils Saga and Njàls Saga'', in: Hines, John, Slay, Desmond (Eds.) ''Introductory Essays on Egils Saga and Njàls Saga'', Oxford University, The Viking Society for Northern Research in London, 1992; pp.83-92
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* '''Key words''': gender roles, distinctions, gender representations
* '''Key words''': social reality, gender studies, religion (samfélagsmynd, kynjafræði, trúarbrögð)




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==Annotation==  
==Annotation==  


The author assumes that the female characters in Njals Saga challenge our preconceived notions of
The author argues that the female characters in Njals saga challenge our preconceived notions of
gender distinctions. O' Donoghue analyzes the social relations between feminine and masculine, by
gender distinctions. O'Donoghue analyzes the social relations between feminine and masculine, by
looking closely at the exercise of the power in society. Five powerful women of the saga are here discussed:  
looking closely at the exercise of the power in society. Five powerful women of the saga are discussed:  
Unnr, Queen Gunnhildr, Hallgerðr, Bergþora and Hildigunnr, and also how
Unn, Queen Gunnhild, Hallgerd, Bergthora and Hildigunn, and it is also explored how
men are frequently mocked as effeminate, serving to redraw gender distinctions.
men are frequently mocked as effeminate, serving to redraw gender distinctions. Women indeed embody
O’Donoghue presents the sagas as a struggle between two genders and two social images.
violent and old heroic ways of regulating society while men side with new ideas about a society in which the law and agreements prevail. This division mirrors a
On one side the men can the law, whereas women goad to revenge. In this
transitional time in Icelandic society when people vascillate between frenzied
saga the difference between the sexes is built up in a way that goes against customary
Paganism – embodied for example by Steinunn who proclaims Thor to be stronger than
prejudices upon the two genders. Women indeed embodies a
Jesus – and Christianity which appears as synonymous with peace and civilization –
violent and old heroic ways of regulating society. On the contrary men side with the New,
embodied by the missionary Thangbrand.  
with a society in which the law and agreements prevail. This division mirrors the
transitional time for the Icelandic society when people hesitate between the frenzied
Paganism – embodied for example by Steinunn who proclaims Þórr to be stronger than
Jesus – and the Christianity which appears as a synonymous of peace and civilization –
embodied by the Christian missionary Þangbrandr.  


==Lýsing==
==Lýsing==


Höfundur telur að kvenpersónur Njáls sögu hvetji okkur til að endurmeta hugmyndir okkar um kynhlutverk. O'Donoghue greinir samfélagslegt hlutverk hins kvenlega og hins karllega með því að rýna í hvernig valdi er beitt í þjóðfélaginu. Fimm valdamiklar konur í sögunni eru teknar til umfjöllunar: Unnur, Gunnhildur drottning, Hallgerður, Bergþóra og Hildigunnur, en einnig er skoðað hvernig karlmenn eru oft hæddir fyrir kvenlega eiginleika og hvernig það leiðir til endurmats á kynhlutverkum. Konur standa þannig fyrir leið ofbeldis og fornrahetjuhugsjóna við mótun þjóðfélagsins en karlmenn kjósa nýjar hugmyndir um þjóðfélag sem lýtur lögum og reglu. Þessi skipting speglar íslenskt þjóðfélag á breytingaskeiði þegar fólk stendur milli ofbeldiskenndrar heiðni – fulltrúi hennar er til dæmis Steinunn sem lýsir Þór kröftugri en Jesús Krist – og kristni sem lögð er að jöfnu við frið og siðmenningu og á sér fulltrúa í trúboðanum Þangbrandi.


==See also==
==See also==
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* ''Written by:''  Sophia Rifad  
* ''Written by:''  Sophia Rifad  
* ''Icelandic/English translation:''  
* ''Icelandic translation:'' Svanhildur Óskarsdóttir


[[Category:Njáls saga]][[Category:Njáls saga:_Articles]][[Category:Authors]][[Category:All entries]]
[[Category:Njáls saga]][[Category:Njáls saga:_Articles]]
[[Category:Social reality]][[Category:Gender studies]][[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Authors]][[Category:All entries]]

Revision as of 12:37, 5 February 2016

0saga.pdf

  • Reference: O' Donoghue, Heather, "Women in Njàls Saga", Introductory Essays on Egils Saga and Njàls Saga, in: Hines, John, Slay, Desmond (Eds.) Introductory Essays on Egils Saga and Njàls Saga, Oxford University, The Viking Society for Northern Research in London, 1992; pp.83-92

  • Key words: social reality, gender studies, religion (samfélagsmynd, kynjafræði, trúarbrögð)


Annotation

The author argues that the female characters in Njals saga challenge our preconceived notions of gender distinctions. O'Donoghue analyzes the social relations between feminine and masculine, by looking closely at the exercise of the power in society. Five powerful women of the saga are discussed: Unn, Queen Gunnhild, Hallgerd, Bergthora and Hildigunn, and it is also explored how men are frequently mocked as effeminate, serving to redraw gender distinctions. Women indeed embody violent and old heroic ways of regulating society while men side with new ideas about a society in which the law and agreements prevail. This division mirrors a transitional time in Icelandic society when people vascillate between frenzied Paganism – embodied for example by Steinunn who proclaims Thor to be stronger than Jesus – and Christianity which appears as synonymous with peace and civilization – embodied by the missionary Thangbrand.

Lýsing

Höfundur telur að kvenpersónur Njáls sögu hvetji okkur til að endurmeta hugmyndir okkar um kynhlutverk. O'Donoghue greinir samfélagslegt hlutverk hins kvenlega og hins karllega með því að rýna í hvernig valdi er beitt í þjóðfélaginu. Fimm valdamiklar konur í sögunni eru teknar til umfjöllunar: Unnur, Gunnhildur drottning, Hallgerður, Bergþóra og Hildigunnur, en einnig er skoðað hvernig karlmenn eru oft hæddir fyrir kvenlega eiginleika og hvernig það leiðir til endurmats á kynhlutverkum. Konur standa þannig fyrir leið ofbeldis og fornrahetjuhugsjóna við mótun þjóðfélagsins en karlmenn kjósa nýjar hugmyndir um þjóðfélag sem lýtur lögum og reglu. Þessi skipting speglar íslenskt þjóðfélag á breytingaskeiði þegar fólk stendur milli ofbeldiskenndrar heiðni – fulltrúi hennar er til dæmis Steinunn sem lýsir Þór kröftugri en Jesús Krist – og kristni sem lögð er að jöfnu við frið og siðmenningu og á sér fulltrúa í trúboðanum Þangbrandi.

See also

References

Links

  • Written by: Sophia Rifad
  • Icelandic translation: Svanhildur Óskarsdóttir