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The Saga of the Faroe Islanders: Brief Summary and Interesting Points

The Saga of the Faroe Islanders: Brief Summary and Interesting Points. Taken from “ Thrand of Gotu ” translated by George Johnston. Provenance. Current form is reconstructed from pieces of “The Saga of Olaf Trygvasson” Olaf Trygvasson was a Christian king of Norway

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The Saga of the Faroe Islanders: Brief Summary and Interesting Points

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  1. The Saga of the Faroe Islanders:Brief Summary and Interesting Points Taken from “Thrand of Gotu” translated by George Johnston

  2. Provenance • Current form is reconstructed from pieces of “The Saga of Olaf Trygvasson” • Olaf Trygvasson was a Christian king of Norway • Composed 1200-1220 secondhand in Iceland • Its writing influenced later Icelandic sagas • VERY loosely confirmed in independent texts • Written with assurance, focus, and finesse • Very readable

  3. Brief Review I/III • Thrand is a devious, wealthy, pagan Faroe Islander • Thrand is involved in Sigmund’s father’s death and the liberation of the islands from Norway. • Thrand sells the newly orphaned Sigmund into slavery in exile • Simund grows up in exile and becomes a heroic and respected Viking hero

  4. Brief Review II/III • Sigmund returns to the Faroe Islands • Thrand agrees to a diplomatic settlement with Sigmund that makes the Faroe Islands part of Norway, but stalls on his responsibilities • Sigmund becomes christian • Sigmund forcibly converts the Faroe Islands to Christianity

  5. Brief Review III/III • Thrand fans the islander’s anger and eventually successfully ambushes Sigmund causing Sigmund’s murder • The Faroe Island’s are again liberated from Norway • Many years of pass with passive resistance to Norway and villainy by Thrand and sons. • Thrand’s sons are killed in revenge causing Thrand to die of grief.

  6. Cultural Features • These are very small communities • King’s and Earl’s are leaders, not rulers • Non-violent dispute settlement occurs by general meeting and impromptu mechanisms • Lots of murders and very limited trust • Surprising capacity in some to ignore past crimes • Christianity was tolerated but not welcomed

  7. Other Sagas • Sagas of note: • Saga of the Greenlanders (discovery of North America) • King’s Sagas (Sagas of the king’s of Scandinavia) • Legendary Sagas (pre-colonization of Iceland) • Icelander’s Sagas (follows the families in Iceland) • Online copy of Icelandic Sagas: http://www.sagadb.org/

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