Hrafnkels saga
Overview
Icelanders' sagas
The Sagas of Icelanders —many of which are also known as family sagas—are prose histories mostly describing events that took place in Iceland in the 10th and early 11th centuries, during the so-called Saga Age. They are the best-known specimens of Icelandic literature.The Icelanders'...
. It tells of struggles between chieftains and farmers in the east of Iceland in the 10th century. The eponymous main character, Hrafnkell, starts out his career as a fearsome duel
Duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
ist and a dedicated worshiper of the god Freyr
Freyr
Freyr is one of the most important gods of Norse paganism. Freyr was highly associated with farming, weather and, as a phallic fertility god, Freyr "bestows peace and pleasure on mortals"...
. After suffering defeat, humiliation, and the destruction of his temple
Hörgr
A hörgr or hearg was a type of religious building or altar possibly consisting of a heap of stones, used in Norse paganism...
, he becomes an atheist
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
.
Quotations
"Ek hygg þat hégóma at trúa á goð."
Translation: "I think it is folly to have faith in gods." - Hrafnkell Freysgoði
"Mörgum mundi betr þykkja skjótr dauði en slíkar hrakningar, en mér mun fara sem mörgum öðrum, at lífit mun ek kjósa, ef kostr er." - Hrafnkell Freysgoði
Translation: "Many would prefer a quick death to such misfortune but I will do as many others and choose life if it is an option."
"Eigi mun ek flýja undan þeim mönnum, er ek hefi ekki til miska gört." - Eyvindr Bjarnason
Translation: "I will not run away from men to whom I have done no harm."
"Því verðr engi uppreist yðar ungra manna, at yðr vex allt í augu." - Þorbjörn
Translation: "The reason you young men don't get anywhere is that everything seems like such a big deal to you."
Category:Literary works