Iceland's Sagas

Which is the most book-loving nation in the world? A strong contender is Iceland, the remote island nation in the North Atlantic, whose citizens read, write and publish more books per capita than any other people. This magnificent but harsh land was settled around 900 A.D. by the Vikings. Celts from Ireland followed soon. Agriculture was introduced, farms built, and around 1100 A.D., its first parliament was convened.

The country's literary tradition began in the 1300s with the Icelandic Sagas which are splendid examples of medieval literature. Written by unknown authors, they are stories of heroes and everyday people during the settlement. Some of the Sagas involve the Vikings and their bravery. Other Sagas are about Icelandic farmers, merchants, sailors and settlers, describing in great detail their everyday lives and adventures. Today every schoolchild in Iceland knows these Sagas.

Readers used to modern narrative fiction will find the Sagas unusual. That's because much of today's literature hinges on the inner world of the characters. The world is seen through the lens of the individual (a tradition going back to the Renaissance and exemplified by da Vinci's mathematical formalization of perspective.) The Sagas however describe people, things and actions in a direct and objective manner without dwelling on some individual's point of view.

However, this does not mean they are simple. The Sagas can be poetic, complex and ambiguous. For example, in Egil's Saga, the protagonist, a farmer, is also poet whose poems sprinkle the story. Yet he is a ferocious warrior, capable of staggering brutality. From the savagery of his youth, Egil matures to a wise old man, the story showing us a deeply complex human character.

For me an attractive feature of the Sagas is their down to earth tone and their closeness to reality. While much of ancient literature such as the Odyssey or the Ramayana are full of fantastical activities of people endowed with supernatural powers, many Sagas are about everyday activities of normal people who deal with life events that we also face today:  a greedy neighbour, romance and marriage, a stolen inheritance, and what constitutes justice and fairness. For example, Njal's Saga is a story of two brothers and their families. The most compelling character is a woman, Hallgerdur, who is an independent, brave and crafty soul. The story is modulated by the words of the wise man Njal who dispenses Sage advice on everyday problems, for example, how a husband, deserted by his wife, can get back the dowry (paid in those days by the groom to the bride's family.)

Family and genealogy play an important role in the Sagas. Here is a typical introduction of a character: “There was once a man called Ulf, the son of Bjalfi and Halberra...” Kinsmen are also vital to the stories. Characters such as Egil inherit characteristics from their parents and grandparents and perhaps are fated by them. Characters often sport descriptive names such as Thorfinn the Strong, Valgard the Guileful or even William the Bastard.

If you are interested, several Sagas are available for free download. Some are also available from Penguin Classics books with extensive annotations.

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