The Icelandic sagas, or the Sagas of the Icelanders, were written in the Icelandic language during the 13th to 14th century in medieval Iceland. The sagas tell you about the stories that took place in the period of settlement of Iceland from 900AD till the 11th century.
Exploring the beautiful land of Iceland with these sagas will be a unique, fun, and interesting experience. If you are ready to embark on his journey, let's get started without further delay!
Best Sagas To Explore Iceland
The tradition of storytelling is very old and strong in Iceland. People have been writing stories for a long time, and the most popular is the collection of family sagas written in prose narrative style. These detailed descriptions make up a great part of the heritage of Iceland, and Icelanders are proud of them. If you want to know more about the Saga Age and explore Iceland, the following sagas will be of great help in this regard:
Saga of Egill Skallagrimsson
W. C. Green translated this Saga into English from the Icelandic language in 1893. It is the most famous Icelandic Saga and tells you about the life of a warrior poet. Egill lived in Borgarnes and had serious anger issues at an early age. He inherited this temperament from his father and grandfather. But, he was also very intelligent and went abroad for higher studies. Unfortunately, his father died in England, and he returned to the country to become a farmer.
Egill was a remarkable character of history who always proved his worth on the battlefield. But, the poetry of Egill always showed a softer and sensitive side of the poet. After the death of two sons, Egill wrote a poem called “Sonatorrek," in which you can feel his deep sorrow. There are many popular places to visit in Saga of Egill, including the Settlement Center (museum), which gives you enough information about the Egill. Besides that, you can visit the Borg farm where Egill grew up.
Laxdaela Saga
It is another popular saga known as the People of Laxardalur Valley. It was first published in 1245 and then in 1969 by Penguin Classics. The Saga is a story of love and family. It consists of three parts. The first part tells you about the conflicts, the second part is about a love triangle, and the last part tells how the families moved forward. Ketill Flatnose is the major and the most prominent character of this Saga. He was a Norwegian and always tried to prove himself, wealth, and status.
Ketill Flatnose has five children, but two are important as they play a key role in the second part of the Saga. It is considered one of the most romantic sagas and full of pathetic sentiments. There are many notable places to visit: Laxdaela and Laxardalur Valley. It is a fertile valley and also a part of many other sagas. Besides that, you can also visit the Ljarskogar. It is a place where the chieftain tried to settle the parties who were fighting over a murder. You can also visit the Saelingsdalur Valley, where Gudrun spent most of her life. You will also find a geothermal pool there.
Fostbraedra Saga
It is also known as the Saga of the Sworn Brothers. It has gained attention in recent years due to the detailed portrayals of women. Thorgeir and Thormodur are the Saga's sworn brothers and the two main characters. At that time, when the community was changing and leaving the characters that describe the Viking community, both brothers strictly followed these characteristics. Thorgeir was a brave warrior, and he was very capable. But, he was also bloodthirsty and killed the people for sport. Thormodur was a poet-warrior, and the Saga contains many of his poems and stanzas.
Thorgeir was killed in Iceland while Thormodur was in Norway. Afterward, Thormodur went to Greenland, killed many men there, and returned to Norway. He was shot by an arrow in Norway and died there. Though much of this Saga occurred abroad, many are still worth visiting in the sage. The first place that you must visit is the Laugaból in Laugardalur valley. It is a small but beautiful valley. The valley also has a salmon river and a pristine lake. Besides that, you can also visit the Ogursvik, which is a small cove. A friend of Thormodur used to live there. You can also visit the Strandir and Jokulfirdir fjords.
What One Can Find In The Sagas Of Iceland?
Here is what you can find in the sagas of Iceland:
- In the sagas, you can find the description of Iceland and learn how the country used to be when it was discovered. Also, you will find that the country was covered in trees and was an open land then.
- There will be tales about ghosts and witchcraft.
- You will also find written records about the glaciers, volcanic eruptions, and other important geological events.
- The sagas tell you the people's extraordinary stories; you will especially find whole chapters written about the women, their lives, and their status.
- You will be amazed by the stories of love, sacrifice, revenge, and honor that these sagas will tell you.
- Also, you can get an insight into the people's lives and understand how they used to live.
- Through these sagas, you will learn about the history of many Scandinavian countries and other countries far from Iceland, like America.
Conclusion:
The sagas of Iceland tell you a lot about the stories of conflict between the clans and individuals in a unique way. Also, the sagas tell you the stories of revenge and justice. There are more than 40 sagas, but a few have been lost. You can find the preserved sagas in the old manuscripts, while a few are translated into English into different books available in the bookstores in Iceland. Saga of Egill Skallagrimsson is the most popular Saga which tells you the story of Egill!
