Saga
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2008-07-15T20:19:00Z
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Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/72.88.224.80|72.88.224.80]] ([[User talk:72.88.224.80|talk]]) to last version by Tedickey
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[[Image:Möðruvallabók f13r.jpg|thumb|Excerpt from ''[[Njáls saga]]'' in the ''Möðruvallabók'' (AM 132 folio 13r) circia 1350.]]
The '''sagas''' (from [[Icelandic language|Icelandic]] ''saga'', plural ''sögur''), are stories about ancient Scandinavian and [[Germanic tribes|Germanic]] history, about early [[Viking]] voyages, about migration to [[Iceland]], and of [[feuds]] between Icelandic families. They were written in the [[Old Norse language]], mainly in [[Iceland]].
The texts are [[Epic poetry|epic]] tales in [[prose]], often with stanzas or whole poems in [[alliterative verse]] embedded in the text, of heroic deeds of days long gone, ''tales of worthy men,'' who were often [[Vikings]], sometimes [[Norse paganism|Pagan]], sometimes [[Germanic Christianity|Christian]]. The tales are usually realistic, except legendary sagas, sagas of saints, sagas of bishops and translated or recomposed romances. They are sometimes romanticised and fantastic, but always dealing with human beings one can understand.
==Background==
The term ''saga'' originates from the Icelandic ''saga ([[plural|pl.]] sögur''), and refers to (1) "what is said, statement" or (2) "story, tale, history". It is cognate with the English word "say", and the [[German language|German]] ''sagen''. Icelandic sagas are based on oral traditions and much research has focused on what is real and what is fiction within each tale. The accuracy of the sagas is often hotly disputed. Most of the manuscripts in which the sagas are preserved were taken to [[Denmark]] and [[Sweden]] in the 17th century, but later returned to [[Iceland]].
[[Image:Snorre-sturlasson.jpg|thumb|[[Snorri Sturluson]], perhaps the greatest saga recorder; portrait by [[Christian Krohg]].]]
There are plenty of tales of [[Monarch|kings]] (e.g. [[Heimskringla]]), every-day people (e.g. [[Bandamanna saga]]) and larger than life characters (e. g. [[Egils saga]]). The sagas describe a part of the history of some of the [[Nordic countries]] (e.g. the last chapter of [[Hervarar saga]]). The British Isles, northern France and North America are also mentioned. It was only recently (start of 20th century) that the tales of the voyages to America were authenticated.
Most sagas of [[Icelanders]] take place in the period 930–1030, which is actually called ''[[söguöld]]'' (Age of the Sagas) in Icelandic history. The sagas of kings, bishops, contemporary sagas and so on, of course have their own time frame. Most were written down between 1190 to 1320, sometimes existing as oral traditions long before, others are pure fiction, and for some we do know the sources: The author of King [[Sverrir]]'s saga had met the king and used him as a source. The [[Einar Pálsson|Mythology theory of saga origin]] maintains that the plots and characters were heavily influenced by mythological material associated with the local landscape.
==Plot and writing style==
Some of the sagas live between Christianity and Paganism and [[destiny|fate]] plays a central role, a key line in ''[[Grettis saga]]'' (ch. 69) is
:''... she spoke thus: "Now you are going, my two sons, and you are [[predestination|fated]] to die together, and no one can escape the [[destiny]] that is shaped for him.'''
The civilization of Norse sagas is complex, many-layered, with often-contradictory agents sometimes acting as forces for good, sometime evil, and always human.
The writing style tends towards the impersonal, terse, with no explanation of ''why's''. Things happen; no one questions fate. Characters are often but briefly introduced, ''There was a man named ...,'' followed by brief biographies, genealogy, and all-important relations to other figures in the saga. Personalities are shown through ''action,'' seldom through analysis any deeper than offhand lines like ''He was an utter scoundrel,'' or, ''He was a powerful chieftain.'' Often a prominent agent figures in other sagas, and one may draw information from them, which saga writers simply assumed. Relationships between individuals are complex, by friendship, blood, marriage, and immediate geography.
One must often and at disadvantage overcome fantastic enemies. Life is short, uncertain, and men's worth is determined by glory in [[weapon|arms]].
Critical concepts to the saga technique are ''[[honour]]'', ''[[luck]]'' (or ''[[destiny]]''), and ''fate'', the ''[[supernatural]]'', and ''[[moral character|character]]''. Behavior is often not explained, as within the world of the saga it is what ''must'' be done, and early listeners of sagas had no need of questions.
Any slight to one's ''honour'' (or that of one's family) had to be avenged, by blood or money. Men could easily be goaded to fatal [[violence]] over a (real or imagined) slight to their honour.
The concept of ''luck'' is simple, certainly in one such as ''Njáls saga'': one is born with a certain store of good luck. When one's good luck runs out, one is doomed.
The ''supernatural'' often plays a major role as well. Oneiric (i.e., relating to prophetic [[dream]]s) factors may also play a role.
Do agents have the ''character'' to surmount their difficulties, or do they succumb to [[vice]]s such as [[evil]], [[cowardice]] and [[pride]]?
As a final stylistic point, [[Magnus Magnusson]] notes in his introduction to ''Njáls saga'';
:''In the midst of such economy, one spendthrift sentence can speak volumes: 'two ravens flew with them all the way' (Chapter 79) as Skarp-Hedin and Hogni set out at night to avenge Gunnar ...''
==Classification==
Norse sagas are generally classified as:
===Kings' sagas (''Konungasögur'')===
{{main|Kings' sagas}}
These tell of the lives of Scandinavian [[monarch|king]]s. They were composed in the 12th to 14th centuries.
===Icelanders' sagas (''Íslendingasögur'')===
{{main|Icelanders' sagas}}
These are heroic prose narratives written in the 12th to 14th centuries of the great families of Iceland from [[930]] to [[1030]]. These are the highest form of the classical Icelandic saga writing. Some well-known examples include [[Njáls saga]], ''[[Laxdœla saga]] and ''[[Grettis saga]]''.
===Short tales of Icelanders (''Íslendingaþættir'')===
{{main|Short tales of Icelanders}}
The material of these sagas is similar to ''Íslendinga sögur'', just shorter.
===Contemporary sagas (''Samtíðarsögur'' or ''Samtímasögur'')===
These narratives are set in 12th and 13th century Iceland, and were written soon after the events they describe. Most are preserved in the compilation ''[[Sturlunga saga]]''.
===Legendary sagas (''Fornaldarsögur'')===
{{main|Legendary sagas}}
These blend remote history with myth or legend. The aim is on a lively narrative and entertainment. Scandinavia's pagan past was a proud and heroic history for the Icelanders.
===Chivalric sagas (''Riddarasögur'')===
{{main|Chivalric saga}}
[[Image:Dronning-ragnhilds-drom.jpg|thumb|left|230 px|Queen Ragnhild's dream.]]
These are translations of Latin pseudo-historical works and French [[chansons de geste]] as well as native creations in the same style.
===Other===
*''[[Styrbjarnar þáttr Svíakappa]]''
*''[[Hróa þáttr heimska]]''
*''[[Eymundar þáttr hrings]]''
*''[[Eindriða þáttr ok Erlings]]''
==Different meanings of the word ''saga''==
Besides the Icelandic sagas, the Norse word ''saga'' in contemporary [[Nordic languages]] describes several different kind of stories. Some of them are:
* a ''[[folk tale]]'' - in the sense of a [[fairy tale]] by an unknown author, "folksaga" (Swedish and Danish)
* a ''[[fairy tale]] by a known author'', such as [[H. C. Andersen]] or [[Astrid Lindgren]], "konstsaga" (Swedish only - the Danish and Norwegian terms are ''eventyr'')
* a work of ''[[fantasy]]'' fiction. J.R.R. Tolkien's [[Lord of the Rings]] series was translated to Swedish by [[Åke Ohlmarks]] by the title ''Sagan om ringen''. Tolkien was dissatisfied with the Swedish title, and the 2004 translation was titled ''Ringarnas herre'', a literal translation from the original.
==External links and references==
* [http://www.vaidilute.com/books/norroena/rydberg-contents.html Viktor Rydberg's ;Teutonic Mythology: Gods and Goddesses of the Northland" e-book]
* [http://www.vaidilute.com/books/asgard/asgard-contents.html W. Wagner's "Asgard and the Home of the Gods" e-book]
* [http://www.vaidilute.com/books/guerber/guerber-contents.html "Myths of Northern Lands" e-book] by [[H. A. Guerber]]
* [http://www.vaidilute.com/books/munch/munch-contents.html Peter Andreas Munch's "Norse Mythology: Legends of Gods and Heroes" e-book]
*[http://www.northvegr.org/lore/main.php Free saga e-texts and related materials]
*[http://www.cyberclip.com/Katrine/NorwayInfo/words/saga.html A Norse saga page]
*[http://server.fhp.uoregon.edu/norse/ Norse saga resources from the University of Oregon]
*(Unknown author, translated by Magnus Magnusson) (1960), ''Njal's Saga'', (ISBN 0-14-044103-4)
*(Unknown author, translated by Seamus Heaney), ''Beowulf'', (2000) (ISBN 0-393-32097-9)
*[http://www.snerpa.is/net/isl/isl.htm The Icelandic sagas at Netútgáfan]
*[http://www.sagadb.org Icelandic Saga Database] - The Icelandic sagas in the original Icelandic along with translations into many languages
*[http://www.heimskringla.no «Kulturformidlingen norrøne tekster og kvad»]
*[http://www.gotsaga.com]- Sagas from all over the world
[[Category:History of the Germanic peoples]]
[[Category:Medieval literature]]
[[Category:Sagas| ]]
[[Category:Sources of Norse mythology]]
[[Category:Icelandic literature]]
[[Category:Medieval Scotland]]
[[Category:Old Norse literature]]
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