Klári saga
Encyclopedia
Klári saga is one of the chivalric sagas
. Ostensibly derived from a Latin poem which Jón Halldórsson
Bishop of Skálholt
found in France, it became a prototype of the maiden king medieval Icelandic bridal-quest romances: it seems to have been the earliest of these, and was followed by many more. These include Nitida saga
, which is thought to be a direct response to Klári saga.
The protagonist of the story, Prince Klárus of Germany, falls in love with Princess Serena of France. Against the counsel of his teacher, Perus, he asks for Serena's hand in marriage but is treated mockingly by her. Subsequent attempts are even less successful, leading to Klárus being whipped and humiliated. Eventually Klárus and Perus succeed in bewitching Serena's chief lady-in-waiting into aiding their cause and Klárus successfully beds Serena. Following this is a lengthy denouement where Perus and Klárus humiliate and abuse Serena. Finally she becomes Klárus's queen in a happy ending
.
While a romance, the saga, at least in its early versions, also positions itself as an exemplum
. In the words of Shaun F. D. Hughes, 'It is clear from the epilogue to Klári saga, that Bishop Jón is using the romance genre as an elaborate exemplum to promote his uncompromising views on the responsible behaviors of wives towards their husbands'. This aspect of the saga was, however, less influential on its successors than its bridal-quest plot. The saga is noted for its Latinate style (traditionally attributed to the putative Latin original but, according to Hughes and Kalinke, more likely simply a mark of learned Icelandic prose-style) and for heavy linguistic influence from low German.
Chivalric sagas
The riddarasögur, sagas of knights or chivalric sagas are Norse sagas of the romance genre. Starting in the 13th century with translations of French chansons de geste the genre soon expanded to indigenous creations in a similar style...
. Ostensibly derived from a Latin poem which Jón Halldórsson
Jón Halldórsson (bishop)
Jón Halldórsson was a Roman Catholic clergyman, who became the bishop of Iceland . He served in the diocese of Skálholt. He grew up in Norway as a friar of the Dominican order and has been assumed to have been of Norwegian birth, though since his mother's name, Friðgerðr, is unknown outside...
Bishop of Skálholt
Skálholt
Skálholt is an historical site situated in the south of Iceland at the river Hvítá.-History:Skálholt was, through eight centuries, one of the most important places in Iceland. From 1056 until 1785, it was one of Iceland's two episcopal sees, along with Hólar, making it a cultural and political...
found in France, it became a prototype of the maiden king medieval Icelandic bridal-quest romances: it seems to have been the earliest of these, and was followed by many more. These include Nitida saga
Nitida saga
The Nitida saga is a fictional late medieval Icelandic romance saga thought to have been composed in Iceland in the fourteenth century. This saga is about a maiden-king named Nitida, who rules over France, and who is pursued by kings and princes from such faraway places as Constantinople, India,...
, which is thought to be a direct response to Klári saga.
The protagonist of the story, Prince Klárus of Germany, falls in love with Princess Serena of France. Against the counsel of his teacher, Perus, he asks for Serena's hand in marriage but is treated mockingly by her. Subsequent attempts are even less successful, leading to Klárus being whipped and humiliated. Eventually Klárus and Perus succeed in bewitching Serena's chief lady-in-waiting into aiding their cause and Klárus successfully beds Serena. Following this is a lengthy denouement where Perus and Klárus humiliate and abuse Serena. Finally she becomes Klárus's queen in a happy ending
Happy ending
A happy ending is an ending of the plot of a work of fiction in which almost everything turns out for the best for the protagonists, their sidekicks, and almost everyone except the villains....
.
While a romance, the saga, at least in its early versions, also positions itself as an exemplum
Exemplum
An exemplum is a moral anecdote, brief or extended, real or fictitious, used to illustrate a point.-Exemplary literature:...
. In the words of Shaun F. D. Hughes, 'It is clear from the epilogue to Klári saga, that Bishop Jón is using the romance genre as an elaborate exemplum to promote his uncompromising views on the responsible behaviors of wives towards their husbands'. This aspect of the saga was, however, less influential on its successors than its bridal-quest plot. The saga is noted for its Latinate style (traditionally attributed to the putative Latin original but, according to Hughes and Kalinke, more likely simply a mark of learned Icelandic prose-style) and for heavy linguistic influence from low German.