The growth of the medieval Icelandic sagas, 1180-1280
By: by Theodore M. Andersson.
Publisher: Cornell University Press
Published: 2005
Place of publication: Ithaca, N.Y
Language: eng
Number of pages: 237
ISBN-13: 9780801444081
Subjects: Sagas -- History and criticism.
Description: "Theodore M. Andersson, a leading scholar of the Norse sagas, introduces readers to the development of the Icelandic sagas between 1180 and 1280, a crucial period that witnessed a gradual shift of emphasis from tales of adventure and personal distinction to the analysis of political and historical propositions. Andersson emphasizes a historical perspective, establishing a chronology for seventeen of the most important sagas and showing how they evolve thematically and stylistically over the century under study. He revisits the long-standing debate about the oral and literary components of the sagas by arguing that there is a clear progression from the somewhat mechanical gathering of oral lore in the early sagas to an increasingly tight and authorially controlled composition in the later sagas."--Jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references.
Table of contents: title: From hagiography to hero : Odd Snorrason's saga Olaf Tryggvason; title: Sanctifying a Viking chieftain : the oldest/legendary saga of Saint Olaf; title: Creating personalities : the saga-age Icelanders; title: Defining political identities : the saga of King Magnús and King Harald; title: Political ambiguities : Egils saga Skallagrímssonar; title: Turning inward : Ljósvetninga saga; title: Gilding an age : Laxdøla saga; title: Two views of Icelandic history : Eyrbyggja saga and Vatnsdæla saga; title: Pondering justice : Hænsa-Þóris saga, Bandamanna saga, and Hrafnkels saga; title: Demythologizing the tradition : Njáls saga.