Women in Old Norse Society PDF
Preview Women in Old Norse Society
Women in Old Norse Society Illustration shows a bride urged forward to her wedding by two female relatives. The drawing is found in the margin of the marriage section in J6nsbok in the manuscript Reykjab6k (MS. AM 345 fo1. 38v) dating from circa 1600. Used by permission of Stofnun Arna Magnussonar in ReykjaVIK, Iceland. WOMEN IN OLD NORSE SOCIETY Jenny Jochens CORNELL UNIVERSITY PRESS Ithaca and London Publication of this book was aided by grants from the Carlsberg Foundation and Towson State University. Copyright © 1995 by Cornell University All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher. For information, address Cornell University Press, Sage House, 512 East State Street, Ithaca, New York 14850. First published 1995 by Cornell University Press. First printing, Cornell Paperbacks, 1998. Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Jochens, Jenny, 1928- Women in Old Norse society / Jenny Jochens. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-8014-8520-6 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Women-History-Middle Ages, 500-1500. 2. Women-Norway-History. 3. Women-Iceland-History. 4. Old Norse literature-History and criticism. 5. Women in literature. I. Title. HQ1147·A-Z.N8J63 1995 305-4'09'02-dc20 Cornell University Press strives to use environmentally responsible suppliers and materials to the fullest extent possible in the publishing of its books. Such materials include vegetable-based, low-VOC inks and acid-free papers that are recycled, totally chlorine-free, or partly composed of nonwood fibers. For further information visit our website at www.comellpress.cornell.edu. Paperback printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 To Birgit Baldwin Dearest Daughter, Best Friend, Esteemed Colleague 10 1960 17 1988 VIII VI Hver van er, at ek muna vilja lifa via harm penna? veitk 6fullt ok opit standa sonar skara, es mer srer of vann. Egils saga, chapter 78 Contents Preface ix Introduction ONE Guony B90varsd6ttir and Guonin GjUkad6ttir: Nordic-Germanic Continuity 7 TWO Marriage 17 The Pagan-Christian Conflict 17 Pagan Marriage 20 Christian Marriage 36 Two Marriages 52 Divorce and Widowhood 54 THREE Reproduction 65 Conception: Theory and Knowledge 65 Heterosexual Lovemaking 68 Sexual Initiative 77 Pregnancy and Birth 79 Paternity 81 Infanticide 85 Baptism 93 Reproduction and Royal Succession 94 FOUR Leisure 98 viii Contents Work before Leisure 98 Gender 99 Idleness and Sleep 100 Sports and Games 102 Storytelling 104 Drinking and Word Games 105 Emotional Distress 111 Politics 113 FIVE Work 115 Gender Division of Labor 116 Outdoor Work 118 Indoor Work 125 SIX The Economics of Homespun 141 General Use 142 Coats 142 Cloth as Medium of Exchange 147 Export of Cloth and Coats 154 Measurements 156 Foreign Cloth 158 Conclusion 161 Appendix: Sources 171 Sagas of Icelanders 171 Kings' Sagas 173 Contemporary Sagas 175 Laws 176 Christianity, Historicity, Oral Tradition, and Poststructural Doubt 178 Abbreviations 183 Notes 187 Bibliography 239 Index 257
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