Njáls Saga: A Critical Introduction PDF
Preview Njáls Saga: A Critical Introduction
Njáls Saga A Critical Introduction By LARS LÖNNROTH The Njáls Saga has long been recognized as the greatest of the Icelandic family sagas. Mr. Lonnroth’s critical introduction is a synthesis of what is known about the narrative art, composition and historical background of this monumental prose epic, which involves more than 600 characters over a period of 50 years. The author first scrutinizes the native sources for the plot of the saga and the Norse narrative conventions used in its construction. He then shows how the traditional building blocks of oral saga composition were combined in an overall structure designed to express the unknown writer’s Christian world view. Finally, he places the saga in its social and historical context by showing how it serves the interests of a specific chieftain family, the Svinfellings, at a specific time, around 1280. His study results in a new theory of the origin, development, and death of the saga genre. "Mr. Lönnroth is one of the best scholars in the field, and his book is a valuable, frequently brilliant addition to our knowledge and literary evaluation of the last great emanation of Icelandic saga tradition."—Konstantin Reichardt, Yale University NJALS SAGA A beardless man battling the forces of evil in the initial “N” introducing chapter 20 of Njáls saga in Kálfalaekjarbók {A.M. 133, fob), Icelandic manuscript from around 1300. Photo: A. Mann Nielsen. LARS LÖNNROTH N JÁ LS SA G A A CRITICAL INTRODUCTION UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS . BERKELEY, LOS ANGELES, LONDON University of California Press Berkeley and Los Angeles, California University of California Press, Ltd. London, England Copyright © 1976, by The Regents of the University of California ISBN 0-520-02708-6 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 73-94437 Printed in the United States of America
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