Tirosh, Yoav. Víga-Njáll: A New Approach Toward Njáls saga

From WikiSaga
Jump to navigationJump to search

  • Key words: Characterization, literary elements, father-son relations, psychoanalysis


Annotation

The article starts with a literary analysis of the silk garment scene as intentional sabotage, explaining this as an act of vengeance for the death of Hǫskuldr Hvítanessgoði, Njáll's beloved foster-son. It then moves on to discuss Njáll’s behavior during the burning, and the inner-family dynamics of the Bergþórshvoll family. Here it is argued that Njáll takes the position of the omnipotent father (which Ármann Jakobsson has shown is prevalent in the sagas), and when his sons try and rebel against him by killing Hǫskuldr, he has no choice but to destroy the family unit. Finally, the article reconciles this judgment of Njáll’s actions with his positive portrayal throughout the saga, by arguing that the author rather sides with this act of vengeance.

Lýsing

Greinin byrjar með bókmenntafræðilegri greiningu á senunni með silkislæðuna sem viljandi skemmdaverki og útskýrir hana í ljósi hefnðar fyrir dauða Hǫskulds Hvítanessgoða, fóstursons Njáls. Það á eftir fylgir umfjöllum á hegðun Njáls í brennunni og hreyfiafla innan fjölskyldunnar á Bergþórshvoli. Höfundurinn heldur fram að Njáll tekur að sér hlutverk almáttugs faðirs (sem Ármann Jakobsson hefur sýnt er algengt í sögunum), og þegar synir hans gera uppreisn gegn valdi hans með því að víga Hǫskuld, Njáll hefur engan annan kost en að eyðileggja fjölskylduna. Í lok samrýmir greinin þessa skoðun á hegðun Njáls við jákvæða lýsingu hans í sögunni með því að halda fram að höfunðurinn stendur með þessari hefndargjörð.


See also

References

  • Chapter 75: að mínu skapi: "Even if we have established that there is doubt regarding the positive portrayal of Njáll in the saga, this is not the case with Gunnar, a much more classic Íslendingasögur hero, although also not devoid of his fair share of complexities. We are meant to identify with this character, and his call to protect one son and forsake the other is not a decision we are meant to criticize. And if he prefers one child over the other, why can’t Njáll?” (223)
  • Chapter 120: Hefir mig aldrei það hent: "The use of the verb henda (happen) gives a certain feeling of passivity and chance. Something inside Skarphéðinn is perhaps saying that this might just as easily have happened if the circumstances had been different, and perhaps even expressing a secret wish that this would have happened. However, in the most straightforward sense, he is priding himself for not contending with his father, and this will ultimately be his downfall. Njáll’s power over his sons and Skarphéðinn’s failure to resist and rebel against his omnipotent father causes the death of almost the entire family.” (224)
  • Chapter 123: Vil eg þess nú biðja yður: "Njáll’s words to his sons before the settlement scene can be understood in a differ¬ent light: Skarphéðinn’s initial response where he grins and strokes his forehead followed by his subsequent defamation of Flosi are not unanticipated by Njáll, but perhaps intended.” (213)

Links

  • Written by: Zuzana Stankovitsová
  • Icelandic translation: Zuzana Stankovitsová