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This book provides an accessible introduction to the Sagas of Icelanders, exploring cultural and historical contexts. Authored by an expert, it examines themes like belief systems, family dynamics, and gender roles. It covers diverse medieval tales, foreign influences, literary styles, and offers summaries of the 40 preserved sagas.
List of contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. SAGAS AND ÞÆTTIR
3. TOWARDS A DEFINITION OF THE GENRE
4. ICELAND'S LITERATURE IN THE MIDDLE AGES-INFLUENCE AND TASTE
5. TRANSMISSION
6. AGE
7. TRADITION AND NARRATIVE
8. SAGA WRITERS AND INFORMANTS
9. ICELANDERS-NORDIC STORYTELLERS AND BOOKWORMS
10. THE HISTORICITY OF THE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS
11. STYLE AND LITERARY TECHNIQUE
12. SKALDIC POETRY
13. THE SOCIETY OF THE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS
14. THE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS. A SURVEY
Bard's SagaEgil's sagaEirik the Red's SagaGisli Sursson's Saga Gold-Thorir's Saga Hen-Thorir's SagaKiller-Glum's Saga Kormak's SagaNjal's SagaOlkofri's SagaThe Saga of Bjorn, Champion of the Hitardal PeopleThe Saga of Droplaug's SonsThe Saga of Finnbogi the MightyThe Saga of Grettir the StrongThe Saga of Gunnar, the Fool of KeldugnupThe Saga of Gunnlaug Serpent-Tongue The Saga of Hallfred the Troublesome PoetThe Saga of Havard of IsafjordThe Saga of Hrafnkel Frey's GodiThe Saga of Hord and the People of Holm
The Saga of Ref the SlyThe Saga of the Confederates The Saga of the GreenlandersThe Saga of the People of EyriThe Saga of the People of FljotsdalThe Saga of the People of FloiThe Saga of the People of Kjalarnes The Saga of the People of Laxardal The Saga of the People of Ljosavatn The Saga of the People of Reykjadal and of Killer-SkutaThe Saga of the People of SvarfadardalThe Saga of the People of Vatnsdal The Saga of the People of Vopnafjord The Saga of the Slayings on the HeathThe Saga of the Sworn BrothersThe Saga of Thord MenaceThe Saga of Thorstein the White Thorstein Sidu-Hallson's Saga Valla-Ljot's Saga Viglund's SagaLiterature
Index
Index of Manuscripts
About the author
Annette Lassen is professor at the Arnamagnæan Collection, NorS, University of Copenhagen. From 2020 to 2022, she was research professor at The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies. She has authored books and articles on Old Icelandic literature such as
Odin's Ways: A Guide to the Pagan God in Medieval Literature (Routledge 2022) and the edition
Hrafnagaldur Óðins/ Forspjallsljóð (Viking Society for Northern Research 2011). She has published complete translations in Danish of the sagas of Icelanders and the sagas of ancient times (2014 and 2016-2019).
Summary
This book provides an accessible introduction to the Sagas of Icelanders, exploring cultural and historical contexts. Authored by an expert, it examines themes like belief systems, family dynamics, and gender roles. It covers diverse medieval tales, foreign influences, literary styles, and offers summaries of the 40 preserved sagas.
