Description
Book SynopsisThis study demonstrates how the dominant concern of medieval Icelandic society - the channelling of violence into accepted patterns of feud and the regulation of conflict - is reflected in the narrative of the sagas. It explores how the sagas are complex expressions of medieval social thought.
Table of ContentsPreface
Acknowledgments
1 Introduction
2 Feud in Saga Narrative: Its Roots in Icelandic Society
3 The Syntax of Narrative Elements
4 Units of Travel and Information and the Feudeme of Conflict
5 The Feudeme of Advocacy
6 The Feudeme of Resolution
7 Feud Clusters and Feud Chains
8 The Importance of Land in Saga Feud
9 Two Sets of Feud Chains in Njals saga
10 Saga Narrative with Low Cluster Density
11 Conclusion
Appendixes
A. A Brief Account of Legal and Social Terms
B. Examples of Conflict
Material Sources of Conflict
Nonmaterial Sources of Conflict
C. Examples of Advocacy
Brokerage
Self-Advocacy
Goading
Information Passing
D. Examples of Resolution
Arbitration
Direct Resolution
Rejected Resolution
Index
Maps
