Saga

What is Saga?: 

What is Saga? The sagas (from Icelandic saga, plural sögur), are stories about ancient Scandinavian and Germanic history, about early Viking voyages, about migration to Iceland, and of feuds between Icelandic families. They were written in the Old Norse language, mainly in Iceland.

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The tales are usually realistic, except legendary sagas, sagas of saints, sagas of bishops and translated or recomposed romances.

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The term saga originates from the Icelandic saga (pl. sögur), and refers to (1) "what is said, statement" or (2) "story, tale, history".

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The sagas describe a part of the history of some of the Nordic countries (e.g. the last chapter of Hervarar saga). The British Isles, northern France and North America are also mentioned.

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Most sagas of Icelanders take place in the period 930–1030, which is actually called söguöld (Age of the Sagas) in Icelandic history.

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The Mythology theory of saga origin maintains that the plots and characters were heavily influenced by mythological material associated with the local landscape.

Plot and Style: 

Plot and Style Some of the sagas live between Christianity and Paganism and fate plays a central role, a key line in Grettis saga (ch. 69) is ‘ ... she spoke thus: "Now you are going, my two sons, and you are fated to die together, and no one can escape the destiny that is shaped for him.'

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The writing style tends towards the impersonal, terse, with no explanation of why's. Things happen; no one questions fate

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Critical concepts to the saga technique are honour, luck (or destiny), and fate, the supernatural, and character. Behavior is often not explained, as within the world of the saga it is what must be done, and early listeners of sagas had no need of questions.

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The concept of luck is simple, certainly in one such as Njáls saga: one is born with a certain store of good luck. When one's good luck runs out, one is doomed.

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Norse sagas are generally classified as: Kings' sagas (Konungasögur) These tell of the lives of Scandinavian kings. They were composed in the 12th to 14th centuries. Icelanders' sagas (Íslendingasögur) These are heroic prose narratives written in the 12th to 14th centuries of the great families of Iceland from 930 to 1030. These are the highest form of the classical Icelandic saga writing. Some well-known examples include Njáls saga, Laxdœla saga and Grettis saga. Short tales of Icelanders (Íslendingaþættir) The material of these sagas is similar to Íslendinga sögur, just shorter. Contemporary sagas (Samtíðarsögur or Samtímasögur) These narratives are set in 12th and 13th century Iceland, and were written soon after the events they describe. Most are preserved in the compilation Sturlunga saga. Legendary sagas (Fornaldarsögur) These blend remote history with myth or legend. The aim is on a lively narrative and entertainment. Scandinavia's pagan past was a proud and heroic history for the Icelanders. Chivalric sagas (Riddarasögur)