A Multi-Purpose Saga

Is it genealogy or storytelling?

     When pondering the detail and complexity of The Saga of the People of Laxardal, a question comes to mind. When reading the Penguin Classic version, fully titled The Saga of the People of Laxardal and Bolli Bollason’s Tale, as translated by Keneva Kunz and edited by Bergljót Kristiánsdóttir, I wonder about the overall sense of purpose for literature arising from northwestern Europe and the British Isles at the time. 

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     In one sense, The Saga of the People of Laxardal contains sections that are not so much saga, but genealogy. Family lineages are presented in great detail, and one prime example that I would offer for the purposes of this conversation is the first full paragraph on page 10. This is a long paragraph simply filled with family names, presenting a lineage similar to modern ancestry research. As a reader, one might wonder if perhaps the readership of the original text would have had more stake in something like this, and would have valued the text as genealogy as much as anything. The work is something different from mere storytelling. 

     At the same time, there are points within the text when storytelling takes over. All of the sudden, the careful recounting of family trees ceases, and scenes are presented in detail. One of these that comes to mind is Olaf’s visit to Ireland. Here, a scene is created, and the scene allows for a fascinating glimpse into the cultures of the time and place. 

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     Here, there is great detail that takes the reader into every facet of the moment. “The beach was clay” (Kristiánsdóttir and Kunz 40), states the text, engaging the reader into the very nature of the earth. Upon speaking to the Irish, the reader is briefed regarding the laws concerning “ship strandings” (Kristiánsdóttir and Kunz 40). The reader is a part of the action, and can become enraptured in the moment when “Giving a war cry, the Irish charged into the sea” (Kristiánsdóttir and Kunz 40). Given the emphasis on genealogy in the text, this attention to detail is notable. 

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     Family, however, is not at all abandoned, as Olaf’s trip is based upon the knowledge of his relation to Myrkjartan. When speaking to Myrkjartan, Olaf’s statement that “As far as my mother’s kinsmen are concerned, I expect you know more about them than I do” (Kristiánsdóttir and Kunz 41) exudes a certain confidence and invites the reader to witness a unique cultural exchange with full possession of background knowledge. This is great storytelling. 

     It is also perhaps significant that Myrkjartan states “This Olaf is obviously a man of high birth, whether or not he is our kinsman and no one speaks better Irish” (Kristiánsdóttir and Kunz 41-42). This emphasizes the importance of language, and the way that knowledge of the language in a foreign place is important when establishing rapport. Further rapport is established when the king tells Olaf “The woman approaching was Melkorka’s nurse” (Kristiánsdóttir and Kunz 42), and it is recounted that “Olaf received her with open arms” (Kristiánsdóttir and Kunz 42). This is a humanizing moment when the reader is allowed to witness the inner workings of the lives of important people. This is something beyond genealogy, as elements of the human pageant are painted. 

     So, for discussion purposes, I ask the following. What is the purpose of such a chapter in the saga? Why the detail? What is being revealed about the people of the epic tale? 

      Works Cited 

Kristiánsdóttir, Bergljót S., editor. The Saga of the People of Laxardal and Bolli 

     Bollason' Tale. Translated by Keneva Kunz, Penguin Books, 2008.

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