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The Laxdæla saga: Love, revenge, and tragedy in the Viking Age
Long before the likes of American reality television, Mexican telenovelas, or Shakespearean plays found popular appeal, people in Viking societies found their slice of over-the-top entertainment by regaling one another with sagas of epic drama.9 months ago — Culture and religion -
Njáls saga: Law and bloodshed in Viking Iceland
With a body count higher than an episode of The Sopranos, Njáls saga remains a high point in exploring honor, violence, and fatalism. It speaks to the traumatic effect and self-perpetuating cycle of bloodshed within Viking society.1 year ago — Culture and religion -
Book review: Echoes of Valhalla – The Afterlife of the Eddas and Sagas by Jón Karl Helgason
What do a wall at the Sorbonne in Paris, the comic book Journey into Mystery #83, and the obscure Swedish 1990s band Bathory have in common? This isn't the start of a bad joke – all three show the fingerprints of the long cultural reach of the Old Norse sagas and eddas.1 year ago — Reviews -
Icelandic exhibition highlights ancient manuscripts of Norse mythology
The World in Words exhibition explores some of the most valuable texts in Icelandic literature.1 year ago — News -
From myth to monarchy: Heimskringla and the legacy of Viking rulers
Shedding light on medieval history, the Heimskringla is a collection of sagas that combine historical facts, fantasy, and tall tales in an entertaining manner.2 years ago — Partner content -
The saga of Aslaug Sigurdsdottir: Wife of Ragnar, mother of legends
Whilst her husband, the famous semi-legendary Viking hero Ragnar Lothbrok, may be more well-known, Aslaug Sigurdsdottir has a life story worthy of any heroic saga. We look at the scion of a legendary family whose life and deeds are the stuff of legend and lore.2 years ago — History -
Gunnhildr Gormsdóttir: Mother to kings in Norse sagas
The daughter of one Viking king, wife to another, and the mother of at least two more, Gunnhildr Gormsdóttir was an influential woman in an era of hyper-masculinity and entrenched patriarchy.2 years ago — History -
Egil Skallagrímsson: Viking warrior, poet, and man of many talents
Long before Hamlet, Holden Caulfield, or James Dean forged the Western idea of the anti-hero, there was Egil Skallagrímsson. He was a historical figure and a man of many talents. Among them, he was a Viking warrior, poet, and farmer.2 years ago — History -
A deep dive: Did Viking explorers really reach Canada's Baffin Island?
The idea that Baffin Island was frequented by the Vikings is shrouded in doubt, mystery, and a certain degree of controversy.2 years ago — History -
Gunnar Hámundarson: The legendary warrior of Iceland's Age of Settlements
Centuries before the Olympics, Gunnar Hámundarson stands out from the sagas as a man of incredible athletic ability. His martial prowess saw him labeled as being nearly invincible in combat. Is there any historical truth in these tall tales, or is Iceland's famous warrior just literary hyperbole?2 years ago — History
