Njal's Saga

Wordsworth Editions, Jun 12, 1997 - Fiction - 416 pages

Translated by Lee M. Hollander, with an Introduction by Thorsteinn Gylfason.

Njal's Saga is the finest of the Icelandic sagas, and one of the world's greatest prose works. Written c.1280, about events a couple of centuries earlier, it is divided into three parts: the first recounts the touching friendship between noble Gunnar and the statesman Njal, together with the fatal enmity between their wives. The second part works out the central tragedy of the saga, while the third describes the retribution wrought by Flosi and Kari.

The saga is remarkable not only for the details of everyday life - the farming, the feasting and the charcoal-burning - but also for the social structure of the society in which that life took place - the Althing or Parliament, the lawmaking and the lawgiving. The grandeur of the narrative and the beauty and distinction of the characters mark Njal's Saga as an essential text for all who love adventure and great literature.

Contents

• Mord Hoskuld and their Kin 34: 3
• Queen Gunnhild Equips Hrút to Pursue Sóti: 10
• Unn Divorces Hrút: 16
• ΙΟ Hallgerd Marries Thorvald: 22
• Glúm Sues for the Hand of Hallgerd: 29
• The Dealings of Gunnar with Otkel: 93
• Hallgerd has Melkólf Steal Food: 95
• Gunnar Offers to Reimburse Otkel: 97
• Otkel Summons Gunnar to the Assembly ΙΟΙ: 101
• SI The Settlement at the Assembly: 103
• Rúnólf and Otkel: 105
• Gunnar is Accidentally Wounded by Otkel and Insulted by Skamkel: 106
• Otkel and Skamkel are Slain: 108
• SS Njáls Prophetic Counsel IIO 56 The Settlement at the Assembly: 112
• Starkad and his Kin IIS 58 The Sons of Egil Challenge Gunnar to a Horsefight: 115
• The Horsefight: 118
• Gunnar and Ásgrím Become Friends: 120
• Starkad Plans to Ambush Gunnar: 121
• Gunnars Dream: 123
• The Ambush: 124
• Njál Plans Gunnars Defence: 126
• Measures and Countermeasures: 128
• The Settlement at the Assembly: 130
• Mord Continues Plotting Against Gunnar: 132
• The Two Thorgeirs Plan to Attack Gunnar: 133
• Njál Frustrates their Plan: 135
• They are Compelled to Pay an Indemnity: 137
• The Two Thorgeirs and Mord Plan a Second Attempt on Gunnars Life: 139
• Gunnar and Kolskegg Rout their Enemies: 140
• Gizurs Suit at the Assembly: 142
• Gunnar is Exiled: 144
• Gunnar Defies the Verdict and Remains in Iceland: 145
• Gunnars Enemies Move on Hlídarendi: 148
• Gunnars Death: 149
• Skarphedin and Hogni Plan Revenge: 152

Bibliographic information

• Title: Njal's Saga; Classics of World Literature Series; Wordsworth classics of world literature
• Translated by: Carl Frank Bayerschmidt, Lee M. Hollander
• Edition: revised
• Publisher: Wordsworth Editions, 1997
• ISBN: 1853267856, 9781853267857
• Length: 416 pages
• Subjects: Fiction / Classics; Fiction / Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology; Fiction / Sagas; Literary Collections / Medieval